Game of the Truth Seeker
by Sir Revan Walker
Summary: A university student tragically died is reincarnated as Harry Potter, and he must shoulder Harry Potter's destiny. In addition, he'd gained the Gamer power with his Luck stat shows only a question mark. And what's it with women with avian trait? Why in the hell they flock him left and right? Just what kind of crazy adventure he will find himself in the future? [HIATUS]
1. Tutorial

**『** **Disclaimer** **』**

 **Harry Potter and the franchise belonged to J.K. Rowling and WB studios. The author only stole some elements from the story, and he hopes you won't tell the Harry Potter's publisher team because he is afraid of being sued.**

 **Thank you . . .**

 **『** **Extra Note** **』**

"Game of Truth Seeker," speaking normally.

 _Game of Truth Seeker_ , mulling/thinking in mind.

 **『** **Chapter 01: Tutorial** **』**

The spider on the ceiling fell and landed right in front of his face.

"What…!"

Our protagonist quickly gained his senses. Instinctively, he took a step back, however, with a thud, his back bumped against something. It was a wall. Carefully looking around himself, he realized he was in a small cramped space. His eyes narrowed and then swept over the dark cramped room and at the tilted ceiling, so close to his face that he was sure he could touch it without fully standing. From what he could see, he was inside what he believed as cupboard under the stairs, a place where people usually put cleaning tools.

He stopped his breath. _Why was I here? How did I get here?_ A loud siren rang in his head. His conscience instantly went cold, as if something forced open his skull and poured in ice-cold water, telling him to stay on his toes. The sensation was strange, nothing to describe it in words. It was something he'd never experienced in the past.

Then, unexpectedly, a green translucent screen, just as big as his palm, appeared in front of his face, floating calmly as though it was goading him to do something stupid that attracted attention. The strange ice-cold sensation in his mind held back his instinctive reaction towards something unexpected. He didn't scream. He didn't do something stupid. He just stared at the translucent screen and read the writing in it:

 **「** **Welcome to the most wonderful game ever invented — Life . . .** **」**

He didn't understand what's the meaning of the writing. In fact, it sounded ominous for his taste. He couldn't even understand what was happening to him now.

Then, another translucent screen appeared under the first screen. It had another writing written in it. He silently read:

 **「** **Before you go with your new life, first, let's begin with tutorial. Every game has tutorial for the player, so the player won't play the game like a dunderhead** **」**

 **「** **Think or say 'NEXT' to begin first section of tutorial** **」**

 _Er . . ._ — he wasn't sure about it. Was he dreaming? Was everything happened to him real? Nevertheless, he followed the instruction written in the screen— _next_.

The screen shattered into beautiful motes of light, taking him by surprise. Then new translucent screen appeared, replacing the broken screen earlier.

 **「** **All players must know their character statistics. Let's find out your character statistics by saying or thinking 'STATS'!** **」**

He followed the instruction, not because he was obedient, but because he hadn't come back from his shocked trance. He saw the screen broke down, and the motes of light, mysterious and beautiful like fireflies in the dark, circled around and merged into new screen. This time, the screen was bigger than the previous screen. He read the content silently:

 **「** **Name: Harry Potter (?)**

 **The name of character you're playing. The question mark next to it means you as player of this game of life isn't the real person you've replaced** **」**

Just as he finished reading the first explanation, he stopped dead on his track. His mind numbed. The name — Harry Potter — echoed in his mind, as though a broken recorder that kept repeating the same word repeatedly.

Harry Potter. He knew well that name — the name of main character of a fictional novel he loved, since he was in elementary school. Series of novels written by J.K. Rowling and had been adapted into movies.

 _Impossible . . . this is impossible!_ He tried to deny it, he checking his body to see if he was still in his 19 years old body only to find his body was that of the small, skinny child. He found it was real. It was a cold ruthless truth. _How? How have I ended in the body of child? Harry fucking Potter nonetheless!_

He started to panic, but the strange cold sensation poured into his mind, driving away his panic as soon as it comes. After he calmed enough, he began to call his last memory before he lost his consciousness. He was going to campus and riding his motorcycle fast. He was in hurry because he had an important exam, but something happened in the way. A traffic incident. A car going fast slammed him and his motorcycle, and then he saw nothing but darkness. A chill ran on his spine, traveling up to his nape. All his hair rose up, standing straight in horror. However, it wasn't for long for the strange ice-cold sensation poured into his mind again, calming him fast and ruthlessly.

 _I . . . I am . . . d, dead?_

It was unbelievable, yet he couldn't deny it as he could remember it with such clarity he'd never had before. He raised his hand and put his face on it. He was in shock. Knowing you have died wasn't easy. It was because the strange ice-cold sensation filling his mind that kept him calm so far. He stayed like that for a while, silently thinking over his own demise again and again. He could feel something had changed within him, as if he'd been brutally traumatized by something.

He inhaled deeply, trying to grip the reality. _I'm alive . . . don't worry — I'm still alive._ He reminded to himself, and at that moment, he remembered his family he supposedly had left behind. His old parents and young siblings. He was the eldest son in the family and the gap in age between him and the second born in family was far, almost a decade. _What will happen to them? What's going to happen with Mum, Dad, Anna and Erick?_ He asked to himself, but he couldn't find satisfying answer. Actually, he felt detached when he thought his family. The mysterious ice-cold sensation, flash of understanding filled his mind, _whatever it is; it makes me apathetic with everything that usually makes me have a strong reaction. Just what happened with me?_

He raised his head, pulling away his face from his small palm, and then stared at the translucent screen floating in front of his face. He narrowed his eyes, glaring heatedly, at the screen. Whatever happened with him, the screen was connected with it.

His eyes moved down, focusing on the next content after 'Name', and he continued reading the writing silently.

 **「** **Age: 7 years, 7 months — The age of your character, showing how old the character you're playing** **」**

He paused, thinking over something. From his memory, Harry Potter was born at July 31, 1980, and currently the body he'd somehow possessed was 7 years and 7 months old. It meant the date was around February, year 1988. He filed the information for later use, and continued reading.

 **「** **Job: The Gamer — Showing your occupational job in this reality. You have been given a chance to enjoy interesting game/life as your character. You can do anything as you wish to spice up your boring character life** **」**

He felt anger spiked in his chest. Even though the strange ice-cold sensation had dulled it, he was still angry. He wasn't idiot and he could see it. Whatever had put him in this position, he or she or it wanted an amusement. Whatever it was, it wanted him to be their source of amusement, and he knew well how helpless he was to free himself. He didn't hold an illusion he could snatch back his freedom. He could only follow what it wished him to do because he didn't have any choice. He wasn't Harry Potter and he didn't have confidence he could live his new — second? Whatever his current predicament was called — life following the canon. He wasn't a Gryffindor whom would jump ahead without plan promising his safety and success.

 **「** **Class: Untrained-Wizard — Your character-class. Because the nature of your chosen character—** **」**

He snorted at that. He had never chosen this. He was forced to do this.

 **「** **—** **as someone with magical background, your class tree has been selected manually as Untrained-wizard. You can upgrade your class to Apprentice Wizard, then to Adept Wizard or Dark Wizard, then to Sorcerer if you chose Adept Wizard or Dark Lord if you chose Dark Wizard, and so on. For further information, you can access 'HELP' option later** **」**

 **「** **Health: 65/65 (Regen: 0.65/Min) — The numerical value of your life. If your Health drops to 0, you'll die and you won't get any second chance anymore. You can increase your Health and Health Regeneration by increasing your Vitality statistic of your character. The total sum of your Health is Vitality statistic multiplied by 10, while the sum of your Health Regeneration is Vitality statistics divided by 10** **」**

 **「** **Mana: 775/775 (Regen: 7.75/Min) — The numerical value of your magical energy. When your mana drops to 0, you will loss your consciousness. You can increase your Mana and Mana Regeneration by increasing your Magic statistic. The sum of your Mana is Magic statistic multiplied by 10, while the sum of your Mana Regeneration is Magic statistics divided by 10** **」**

 **「** **Strength: 5.5 — The numerical value of your muscle strength, affecting how much you can raise a weight. Each point is equal with 1kg. You can increase this statistic by training your muscle. The higher your statistic, the harder raising the point** **」**

 **「** **Speed: 8 — Speed statistic is the numerical value of your movement speed, affecting how fast you can move and/or run. You can increase this statistic by training your speed and your body control. The higher your statistic, the harder raising the point** **」**

 **「** **Vitality: 6.5 — Vitality statistic is the numerical value of your body vitality, affecting how much your Health is and how long you can live. You can increase this statistic by exercising and increasing your body fitness. The higher your statistic, the harder raising the point** **」**

 **「** **Magic: 77.5 (60.5*+17) — Magic statistic is the numerical value of your innate ability with magical aspect, affecting how much you have magical energy/mana, the requirements to learn magic, and other magical things. You can increase this statistic exercising your magic control, meditation, etc. The higher your statistic, the harder raising the point** **」**

 **「** **Charisma: 12 (5*+7) — The ability to attract, charm, and influence the people around you. This stat can only be increased by attracting/charming everyone around you and keep your charismatic image, so your charm stat won't suffer decrease penalty** **」**

 **「** **Luck: ? — Success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions. You cannot increase or decrease your luck because only Fates can bestow you good luck or curse you with abysmal luck** **」**

His eyebrow started to twitch in aggravation just after his eyes landed on his luck. Just what in the bloody hell the question mark means? The ice-cold sensation calmed his mind, and with a tired sigh, he continued.

 **「** **Money: - — Showing the amount of wealth you bring with your character** **」**

 **「** **You can continue to next section by thinking/saying 'NEXT'!** **」**

He didn't follow the instruction immediately, but checking his character statistic once again. He couldn't see the most important statistic of game's character — Level. _Where in the hell are the Level and Experience Point?_

After he stared at the stats screen for a while, he breathed out a resigned sigh. It couldn't be helped. He was doomed! His videogame-like power didn't have level system. Then how in the world he could raise his power? Did he need to do everything manually? Did that mean he won't gain free stat points as level up bonus? This was too brutal! Whoever put him in his current predicament was real sadistic son of bitch!

"Next . . ." he said dully.

The translucent screen broke down into motes of light again and circled into small beautiful cyclone, but he wasn't in the mood to enjoy the beautiful view. The motes of light then fused together, becoming new screen. He read the writing in the new screen halfheartedly.

 **「** **Next section in your tutorial is the skill. All player must know their character's skills to find out what their character can do. Say/think 'SKILLS' to proceed!** **」**

 _SKILLS!_ He followed the instruction without spirit.

 **「** _ **Gamer's Mind**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

 **Allows you to think things calmly and logically even under pressure — a peaceful state of mind. Immunity to psychological status effects and possession. This skill also gives you Eidetic Memory. This skill will dull your emotions slightly as price** **」**

He froze just after he finished reading his first skill. He gritted his teeth as he found out the reason for his sudden apathy. A moment later, he breathed out yet another resigned sigh. Not as though he could do something about this . . .

Then he continued.

 **「** **Gamer's Body (Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

 **Grants a body that allows you to live the real world like a game, numbs some pains from injury you sustained, and gives ability to regenerate missing body parts when your health fully regenerated** **」**

 **「** **Multilingual (Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

 **Innate ability to speak and understand any languages, even though you have never learned it beforehand. Unfortunately, the effect doesn't bleed into your reading or writing skill. You need to learn how to write and read a language you don't know** **」**

 **「** **Magic Control (Passive-type) — Mastery: 172/1000**

 **With enough intent, focus and willpower you can control your magic to create miracle or unusual phenomenon. This skill is seven-tiered skill and it has higher version of it. After all, the truth of magic is mystery**

 **Passive Effect: Magic stat +1 with each 10 accumulated Mastery points.** **」**

 **「** **Meditation (Active-type) — Mastery: 261/1000**

 **To know and control oneself body and mind. Meditation has been used for centuries to center oneself and for relaxation, now you have started on the same path as though before you.**

 **Active Effect: Mana Regeneration x2** **」**

 **「** **Housekeeping (Active-type) — Mastery: 736/1000**

 **The management of duties and chores involved in the running of a household, such as cleaning, cooking, home maintenance, shopping, laundry and bill pay. You don't need a housekeeper as you're the one yourself.**

 **Passive Effect: Charisma stat +1 with each 100 accumulated Mastery points** **」**

 **「** **Parseltongue (Special) — Mastery: MAX**

 **The language of serpents (as well as other magical serpent-based creatures, like the Runespoor and Basilisk) and those who can converse with them.**

 **Passive Effect: Power and potency of spell is multiplied by 2 if casted with Parseltongue**

 **Note: this special-type skill will disappear after the piece of soul belonged to Lord Voldemort (Tom Marvolo Riddle) is ejected from character body** **」**

He blinked as he finished reading extra note for his Parseltongue. He'd forgotten that Harry Potter's a soul jar accidentally created by Lord Voldemort. He felt wary and afraid if the soul shard of Lord Vol—Tom (he would call the psychopath with daddy superiority and inferiority complexes with his real name) knew the truth about him. He needed to find a way to get rid of it, without killing him, and if he was lucky, assimilating Tom's memory, knowledge, and power into himself. He only knew one way to get rid the foul piece of soul stuck in Harry Potter's scar, and it was damn suicidal. He hoped he would find alternative to do it.

 **「** **Accidental Magic (Special) — Mastery: MAX**

 **As a Magical child, you are prone to using magic accidentally when feeling angry, scared, or confused, as a form of self-defence. You have no control over this magic.**

 **Cost: Varying**

 **Active Effect: Varying**

 **Note: You need to upgrade your Magic Control skill to Magic Control II. Having wand will help you keep this wild, self-activating skill under control** **」**

 **「** **To continue to next tutorial, say/think 'NEXT'!** **」**

He carefully checked his skill for the last time before he continued to the next section of the tutorial. He saw the screen broke down and fused together into new screen again. He immediately read the contents.

 **「** **All characters in the game have their awesome pocket dimension and now you do to! Say/think 'Inventory' to access your own personal pocket dimension perfect for storing items or hiding a body** **」**

Twitching at the end, he complied anyway.

 _Inventory_. He invoked the system command silently.

A blue box with a grid like consistency popped up before him. Nothing was in it and he couldn't help but wonder how big it was. _I suppose I'll just have to find out later._ Dismissing it with a thought, what he assumed to be the last box for the tutorial, popped up.

 **「** **Now, the last part of your tutorial before your Game/Life starts for earnest. You can see the setting in 'Setting' option. You can open it by saying/thinking 'Setting'. As for some parts; you don't understand about this wonderful Operational System, or anything tied with it, you can read more detailed information in Help option. You can open Help option by saying/thinking 'Help'** **!** **」**

 **「** **Congratulations, you have completed the tutorial for your new life. Grow strong enough and one day you may travel the stars and dimensions. For following this tutorial thoroughly, you will be gifted with 5 stat points. Please open your Stats screen to put your free stats points** **」**

He opened his stats screen and mulled over the stats he needed to increase. After contemplating for a while, he decided to put 2pts to Magic and the rest is for Strength, Speed and Vitality respectively. He could feel something in his body as his stats increased, and he couldn't help but grin widely, even though his happiness was dulled by the Gamer's Mind.

He checked his stats screen for the last time—

 **「** **Name: Harry Potter (?)** **」**

 **「** **Age: 7 years, 7 months** **」**

 **「** **Job: the Gamer** **」**

 **「** **Class: Untrained-Wizard** **」**

 **「** **Health: 75/75 (Regen: 0.75/Min)** **」**

 **「** **Mana: 795/795 (Regen: 7.95/Min)** **」**

 **「** **Strength: 6.5** **」**

 **「** **Speed: 9** **」**

 **「** **Vitality: 7.5** **」**

 **「** **Magic: 79.5 (62.5*+17)** **」**

 **「** **Charisma: 12 (5*+7)** **」**

 **「** **Luck: ?** **」**

 **「** **Money: -** **」**

—and then nodded in slight satisfaction. He then dismissed the stats screen and checked the 'Setting' option. _Setting!_ He shouted inwardly.

 **「** **SETTINGS!** **」**

 **「** **BGM: On — [Off]** **」**

 **「** **Volume: « 50%»** **」**

 **「** **BGM List »** **」**

 **「** **SFX: [On] — Off** **」**

 **「** **Volume: « 100%** **」**

 **「** **HUD Settings** **」**

 **「** **Other Character:** **」**

 **「** **Name: On — [Off]** **」**

 **「** **Personal HUD settings (Need glasses or contact lens)** **」**

 **「** **Health Bar: On — [Off]** **」**

 **「** **Mana Bar: On — [Off]** **」**

 **「** **Time and Date: On — [Off]** **」**

 **「** **Mini-Map: On — [Off]** **」**

 **「** **Save new settings?** **」**

 **「** **YES — NO** **」**

He stared the setting for a moment before he decided to change the set up. He found out he couldn't turn BGM on because he didn't have any song in BGM list. He kept the SFX settings and turned all HUD settings on, without exception. Afterwards, he chose 'YES'.

Next, he checked out the 'Help' option and he found out many things about the Operation System of his power. However, he decided to check the other class and requirement to upgrade his class.

He found out Untrained-Wizard had many classes in its tree class. The tree class image looked like inverted pyramid and the bottom of pyramid was Untrained-Wizard. Above Untrained-Wizard, he could upgrade his class to Apprentice-Wizard. Apprentice-Wizard could be upgraded into two class; Dark Wizard and Adept Wizard.

Now, the real forking pathways truly began. Adept Wizard could become either Warlock or Mage. Warlock could become either Sorcerer or Sage, while Mage could become either Magic King or Arch-Mage.

In the other hand, Dark Wizard could become either Necromancer or Dark Lord. Necromancer could become either Lich or Black-Magician, while Dark Lord could become Demon King or Dark Apostle.

He found the choices were interesting. He decided to look at the detailed description for each class, and he didn't feel disappointment.

 **「** **Untrained-Wizard/Witch** **」**

 **「** **A wizard/witch who has never been trained before and can only show accidental magic when angry, distressed or sad.**

 **Requirements: born as human with magic power** **」**

 **「** **Apprentice Wizard/Witch** **」**

 **「** **A wizard/Witch under apprenticeship to be an Adept Wizard/Witch, however, some times the apprentice wizard/witch will be swayed by dark art, and become Dark Wizard/Witch instead.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 10 or above**

 **Speed: 10 or above**

 **Vitality: 50 or above**

 **Magic: 100 or above** **」**

 **「** **Adept Wizard/Witch** **」**

 **「** **An Apprentice Wizard/Witch whose apprenticeship is finished will become an Adept. They can start paving a path to mastery of branch of magic, or delving into esoteric branch of magic that is deemed as benign.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 25 or above**

 **Speed: 25 or above**

 **Vitality: 100 or above**

 **Magic: 500 or above** **」**

 **「** **Dark Wizard/Witch** **」**

 **When Apprentice Wizard/Witch takes an interest and delves into dark art, he/she will become Dark Wizard/Witch with high affinity for complex and dangerous branch of magic, which is leaning to more brutal esoteric practice.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 25 or above**

 **Speed: 25 or above**

 **Vitality: 100 or above**

 **Magic: 500 or above** **」**

 **「** **Warlock** **」**

 **「** **Practitioners of magic who try to understand the Truth behind the magic. They try to unveil the mystery of magic and use it for the good and benign cause.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 50 or above**

 **Speed: 50 or above**

 **Vitality: 500 or above**

 **Magic: 1000 or above**

 **Charisma: 50 or above** **」**

 **「** **Mage** **」**

 **「** **Practitioners of magic who try to control magic instead of trying to understand it. Mage commonly uses magic simply as a tool instead a mysterious power that needs to understand.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 50 or above**

 **Speed: 50 or above**

 **Vitality: 500 or above**

 **Magic: 1250 or above**

 **Charisma: 50 or above** **」**

 **「** **Necromancer** **」**

 **「** **Practitioners of magic involving communication with the deceased – either by summoning their spirit as an apparition or raising them bodily – for the purpose of divination, imparting the means to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge, to bring someone back from the dead, or to use the deceased as a weapon.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 45 or above**

 **Speed: 45 or above**

 **Vitality: 500 or above**

 **Magic: 1500 or above**

 **Charisma: 50** **」**

 **「** **Dark Lord/Lady** **」**

 **「** **A pragmatic and realistic wizard/witch with high affinity over dark magic who doesn't care the morality or anything else as long as he/she can attain their wish and usually walks in path of conqueror. They usually dabble into rituals to strengthen him/herself.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 50 or above**

 **Speed: 50 or above**

 **Vitality: 500 or above**

 **Magic: 1000 or above**

 **Charisma: 50 or above** **」**

 **「** **Sorcerer** **」**

 **「** **Practitioners of magic who have gotten a glimpse of Truth and can use magic like nothing has ever been. Archaic magic will seem mysterious and enchanting when they use it.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 100 or above**

 **Speed: 100 or above**

 **Vitality: 1250 or above**

 **Magic: 7500 or above**

 **Charisma: 75 or above** **」**

 **「** **Sage** **」**

 **「** **Practitioners of magic who has seen a glimpse of Truth with the help of the world and can control the world and its elements unlike anyone. Fire, Wind, Water and Earth will become their friend and trusted confident, giving them nigh-perfect control over the four main elements of the world.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 100 or above**

 **Speed: 100 or above**

 **Vitality: 1500 or above**

 **Magic: 5000 or above**

 **Charisma: 75 or above** **」**

 **「** **Arch-Mage** **」**

 **「** **A pragmatic and realistic kind of magic practitioners whose quest to find out the Truth and use it as weapon to keep the balance of the world. They are the protector of the Balance and Defender of the weak.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 150 or above**

 **Speed: 150 or above**

 **Vitality: 1250 or above**

 **Magic: 7500 or above**

 **Charisma: 75 or above** **」**

 **「** **Magic King/Queen** **」**

 **「** **Practitioners of magic who has perfect control of magic after forcing the wild, primal arcane power to submit under his/her will. He or she can control the reality itself to follow his/her will.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 175 or above**

 **Speed: 175 or above**

 **Vitality: 2500 or above**

 **Magic: 7500 or above**

 **Charisma: 99 (MAX)** **」**

 **「** **Black-Magician** **」**

 **「** **Practitioners of the obscure branch of magic. They believed magic come from void and everything will come back to the void. Apathetic people who don't care about anything but their study in magic. They are mighty because they grasp the concept of life and death in their hand and know many archaic and esoteric magic.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 170 or above**

 **Speed: 170 or above**

 **Vitality: 2500 or above**

 **Magic: 7500 or above**

 **Charisma: 75 or above** **」**

 **「** **Lich** **」**

 **「** **An undead. Often such a creature is the result of a transformation, as powerful magician or king/queen striving for eternal life uses spell or ritual to bind his/her intellect and soul to his/her soul jar and thereby achieve form of immortality. Lich is the master of resurrection and summoning of the death more than Necromancer.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 165 or above**

 **Speed: 165 or above**

 **Vitality: 2000 or above**

 **Magic: 5000 or above**

 **Charisma: 75 or above** **」**

 **「** **Demon King/Queen** **」**

 **「** **Transcend from mere mortal into realm of demon by offering one's mortality to the void. As Demon King/Queen, he/she can summon thousands of devil army and control the dark power everyone can only dream of.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 180 or above**

 **Speed: 180 or above**

 **Vitality: 1500 or above**

 **Magic: 7500 or above**

 **Charisma: 99 (MAX)** **」**

 **「** **Dark Apostle** **」**

 **「** **The Messenger of void and the envoy of chaos. They are creature above human's understanding that can be classified as the magic given shape with personality. They can create impossible phenomenon easily as breathing because they are magic-born and magic itself is they.**

 **Requirements:**

 **Strength: 185 or above**

 **Speed: 185 or above**

 **Vitality: 1250 or above**

 **Magic: 8500 or above**

 **Charisma: 99 (MAX)** **」**

Reading all character classes he can choose in the future, he had amazed expression on his face. It was simply unbelievable. As normal human without power, he'd imagined himself as character in story with power like no one has ever had. He couldn't help but wonder what path he should take.

Unfortunately, the banging sound snapped him out of his reverie. He turned to what he thought as the door of the small cupboard.

"Wake up, you ruddy, good-for-nothing lazy boy! You have to prepare the breakfast!"

He heard male voice, and he bet it was Vernon Dursley. Narrowing his eyes, he dismissed the translucent screen and crept to the door. He opened the door and immediately closed his eyes because the bright light almost blinded his eyes. He crawled back inside the small cupboard and waited until his eyes could adapt to the light.

When the light stopped stinging his eyes, he checked outside the cupboard and saw everything was blur. He frowned when he found out how bad his shortsighted was. He returned inside the small cupboard for last time to take Harry Potter's glasses.

 _I'm now Harry Potter_ , he reminded himself of who he was now. As unbelievable as it was, his consciousness was controlling this body and he didn't know if the consciousness of Harry Potter was existing inside his head.

"Boy! Hurry! Move your body and stop being lazy!"

He heard the howl from Vernon Dursley — he was 100% sure of that — and crawled out of the small cupboard. He put on his glasses and saw two bars — one green and the other blue — in upper left corner across the digital clock in upper right corner of his vision. In the lower right corner, under the digital clock, he can see the radar-like Mini-Map. He saw grey dots not far from the triangle mark he believed to mark him.

 _Now, let's begin the music_ , he sighed inwardly as he hurried stepping to the kitchen.

 **『** **To be Continued** **』**

 _ **Main Character Status as of the end of this chapter:**_

 **Name:** Harry Potter (?)

 **Age:** 7 years, 7 months

 **Job:** the Gamer

 **Class:** Untrained-Wizard

 **Health:** 75/75 (Regen: 0.75/Min)

 **Mana:** 795/795 (Regen: 7.95/Min)

 **Strength:** 6.5

 **Speed:** 9

 **Vitality:** 7.5

 **Magic:** 79.5 (62.5*+17)

 **Charisma:** 12 (5*+7)

 **Luck:** ?

 **Money:** £0.5

 _ **Skill Set:**_

 _ **Gamer's Mind**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Allows you to think things calmly and logically even under pressure — a peaceful state of mind. Immunity to psychological status effects and possession. This skill also gives you Eidetic Memory. This skill will dull your emotions slightly as price.

 _ **Gamer's Body**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Grants a body that allows you to live the real world like a game, numbs some pains from injury you sustained, and gives ability to regenerate missing body parts when your health fully regenerated.

 _ **Multilingual**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Innate ability to speak and understand any languages, even though you have never learned it beforehand. Unfortunately, the effect doesn't bleed into your reading or writing skill. You need to learn how to write and read a language you don't know.

 _ **Magic Control**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: 176/1000**

With enough intent, focus and willpower you can control your magic to create miracle or unusual phenomenon. This skill is seven-tiered skill and it has higher version of it. After all, the truth of magic is mystery.

Passive Effect: Magic stat +1 with each 10 accumulated Mastery points.

 _ **Meditation**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 261/1000**

To know and control oneself body and mind. Meditation has been used for centuries to center oneself and for relaxation, now you have started on the same path as though before you.

Active Effect: Mana Regeneration x2

 _ **Housekeeping**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 736/1000**

The management of duties and chores involved in the running of a household, such as cleaning, cooking, home maintenance, shopping, laundry and bill pay. You don't need a housekeeper as you're the one yourself.

Passive Effect: Charisma stat +1 with each 100 accumulated Mastery points.

 _ **Parseltongue**_ **(Special) — Mastery: MAX**

The language of serpents (as well as other magical serpent-based creatures, like the Runespoor and Basilisk) and those who can converse with them.

Passive Effect: Power and potency of spell is multiplied by 2 if casted with Parseltongue

 _ **Accidental Magic**_ **(Special) — Mastery: MAX**

As a magical child you are prone to using magic accidentally when feeling angry, scared, or confused, as a form of self-defence. You have no control over this magic.

Cost: Varying

Active Effect: Varying


	2. Crazy Elf

**『** **Author's Note** **』**

 _Well, second chapter is done! Actually, I can finish this chapter, yesterday, but Valkyrie Connect (an android game) hooked me in my free times. Sorry about the delay._

 _Let's talk about the story for a bit. After dallying back and forth, I've decided to keep the character stays just like in the canon (Novel and Movies), so there won't be character bashing. Albus Dumbledore will stay as benign yet shrewd old man and Ron will stay as boy with inferiority complex and problem with his own jealousy. However, the protagonist sometimes will act with bias to few characters he will meet later. Well, it is my intention to create imperfect protagonist. I try my best to stay far away from Gary-stu path._

 _I haven't thought about romance, yet, but I have interest in either Fleur or Gabriel Delacour. But, it is still long time in the future. Next, is about party system. After thinking about the pros and cons, I've decided to put party system, but it won't be shame with normal party system you can find in stereotype gamer story. Party members can only be added if there is magical connection between MC and the party members. Familiar, Servant-Master bond with House-elf, soul bond (yes, I intend to use that idea), and other esoteric magical bonds. Dark Mark of Death Eater is excluded, unfortunately. I intend to make this party system another handicap for MC. He will supply some magic to his party member, decreasing his usable Mana even more._

 _Okay, I think I have shared some ideas I have about this story. Now, let's stop beating around the bushes and begin the story._

 _Enjoy~_

 **『** **Disclaimer** **』**

 **Harry Potter and the franchise belonged to J.K. Rowling and WB studios. The author only stole some elements from the story, and he hopes you won't tell the Harry Potter's publisher team because he is afraid of being sued.**

 **Thank you . . .**

 **『** **Extra Note** **』**

"Game of Truth Seeker," speaking normally.

 _Game of Truth Seeker_ , mulling/thinking in mind.

 **『** **Chapter 02: Crazy Elf** **』**

Crawling out of the small cupboard, he saw himself in a small corridor of decent house. It wasn't big as his parents' house in his . . . er, previous life. He could also feel the dull feeling of the house, as though it reflected the personality of the owner. Decorations and classy furniture were around, sure enough, but it looked hollow.

"Boy! Hurry!"

Shaking his head, he cleared his mind and immersed in his Gamer's Mind. He walked to the kitchen and he saw three people just as he stepped forwards through the archway. Well, correction, they were human, that was for sure, but they reminded him of animal instead.

His eyes moved to first person, a man in his late thirties, big and fat with bushy mustache that gave him an impression of tuskless walrus. The man was wearing plain white shirt and pair of dark gray slack fastened by simple black belt. He stared at the name above the man's head,—

 **「** **Vernon Dursley** **」**

—and then he shifted his eyes to second person, a woman in her late thirties, but looked older somehow, as if because of stress. The woman was wearing white dress with flower motives and she was rolling her black hair with hair roll. She was thin woman with long neck.

His eyes stole a glance above her head and read:

 **「** **Petunia Dursley** **」**

He immediately shifted his eyes to the last person in the room — a boy. The boy did seem like a baby whale because his body size. At first sight, he had great difficulty to see him as boy. His pinkish skin and overweighed body reminded him of pig strongly. That's right, the boy more like a pig than a baby whale.

 **「** **Dudley Dursley** **」**

After he saw the boy's name, he immediately made a beeline towards the fridge. From his memory of Harry Potter the series, Dursleys ate a lot. He needed to prepare their breakfast quickly before their patience finished. Angering them wasn't in his to do list, at least, not now. Currently, he was weak, painfully weak. He did have power, but he couldn't use it as easily as he could be. He didn't know what will happen if his accidental magic kicked on suddenly. The effect of that skill — if it could be called like that — was random. Angering Dursleys was bad for his health, him mind telling him that.

Shaking his head slightly, he focused on the task. He opened the fridge and froze as a translucent screen appeared in front of his face.

 **「** **Quest Alert!** **」**

 **「** **Breakfast Dash! — The Dursleys are hungry. Prepare breakfast for them quickly!**

 **Objective: Prepare this assortment of food and drink:**

 **\- 13 Sausages**

 **\- 13 Bacons**

 **\- 12 Scrambled Eggs**

 **\- 10 Baked Breads**

 **\- 3 glasses of fruit juice**

 **Reward: £0.5, 1 Sausage, 1 bacon**

 **Penalty: Locked in cupboard for the day without meal**

 **Do you accept the quest?** **」**

 **「** **YES — NO** **」**

He stared at the screen blankly. Honestly, that was quite menu for breakfast. No wonder Vernon and Dudley were big. However, he found the reward was unsatisfactory. Only £0.5 really? And the penalty sounded excessive, don't you think?

However, he could save the money for pressing need in the future. Who knows if it's going to help him later?

"What are you doing?" said Petunia loudly, snapping him out of his reverie, "Quick! Prepare the breakfast!"

He hastily accepted the quest and took out the ingredients. Afterwards, he put the ingredients near the stove. He saw how high the counter was and he needed something to help him. He looked around and finally he saw small stool not far from his position. He moved it in front of the counter and climbed up the stool. Now, it was better and he could reach the stove easily.

He hurriedly prepared the breakfast because he didn't want to fail the quest. Even though £0.5 was nothing in his eyes in the past, but now, it was quite important.

He was broke.

He sighed in relief as he finished preparing breakfast, and suddenly —PING — a loud sound took his attention and he found out new notification had popped up.

 **「** **Congratulation!** **」**

 **「** **You have finished Quest: Breakfast Dash!**

 **Reward: £0.5, 1 sausage, 1 bacon**

 **Penalty: -** **」**

He dismissed the notice and put the breakfast on the table.

Petunia turned to him, sniffed disdainfully, and put a piece of sausage and a slice of bacon on empty plate. "Go and eat somewhere else," said Petunia as she pushed the plate onto him.

He nodded his head silently and followed Petunia's instruction, leaving the kitchen with his meal. He walked to his cupboard and entered it. As he ate his meal, his mind where somewhere else, thinking what he should do next. He was quite sure he didn't want to live here any longer, but where he would live?

An idea entered his mind, but he wasn't sure if he could pull it off flawlessly. He needed to go to Gringotts first, asking a new key for his — Harry Potter's — trust vault, which wasn't in his hand now, and then he would ask service from the goblin to get rid any tracking spell in his body, if he had one.

He didn't know if the Albus Dumbledore of this world was same with the Albus Dumbledore in the novel. But he was certain that Albus Dumbledore would find out his whereabouts somehow. He'd read too much fan made fiction of Harry Potter and there were controversies about one and only Albus Dumbledore.

Just who he was? A kind and benign old man whom gave everyone grandfatherly aura? Or manipulative old man with his own hidden agenda? Or insidious Dark Lord worse than Gellert Grindelwald and Lord Voldemort combined? He didn't know, and he didn't want to know if it would endanger himself.

After the goblins got rid of any magical 'bugs' on him (if he did have ones), he would ask the service from goblin to buy him a trunk with room in it, just as the one Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody had had in the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

He would need a help to spell it with muggle-repelling charm, feather-weight charm, shrinking charm and its counter spell, and notice-me-not charm that affected everyone —Muggle and Magical folks alike — with him as an exception. He was sure the goblins would do it for profits. After getting back his key and buying a new 'home', he'd live alone and wait until his Hogwarts letter comes.

That did sound like good idea, but alas, he needs money to go to Charing Cross road London before he could access Diagon Alley. There was no way his uncle would take him there. He could ask someone to give him a lift to there, but it was too dangerous. Many things could go wrong if he used that half-baked plan.

There must be an alternative for him. He didn't know how long he could bear the Dursley's treatment before he snapped, Gamer's Mind effect notwithstanding. He wasn't Harry Potter, their submissive little nephew, he was himself, a young man (even thought was trapped inside body of six years old for the moment) with his own self-respect, pride, limits, and self-imposing rules and ethic.

Maybe, just maybe, he was thinking from the wrong point of view. He was thinking about money so much because it had been ingrained in his mind that money was important in life. To eat, one needs money to buy ingredients or buy cooked meal. To learn in the school, one needs money to pay tuition. To have place to live, one needs money to pay the bills. Other assortment in life needs money. To live, one needs money.

He knew well how important money in life. He wasn't being a materialist, but being a realist and pragmatist instead.

Shaking his head, he pushed back the stray thoughts from his mind and returned to his main problem: how to go to London and reach Diagon Alley.

Unfortunately, a knock on his cupboard door stopped him before he could begin.

"We have finished the breakfast. Don't forget to clean the table and wash the dish!" said a cold female voice. Petunia — he guessed.

"Yes . . ." he said in reply, "Ma'am," and added in afterthought.

"Don't be late to go to school. I don't want you to make trouble and embarrass hard-working, good people like us," said Petunia coldly.

"Yes, Ma'am," he droned dully. Inwardly, he was sneering at Petunia. Hard-working? Good people? Like hell they were. It could be because his biased view, but he really disliked Dursley since he started reading his first Harry Potter novel.

After Petunia's voice stopped talking, he crawled to the door, opened it slowly, and crawled out of the small cupboard under the stairs. He walked to the kitchen and cleaned the table, ignoring the family of three. After he finished collecting the dirty dishes, he carried them to the sink and began cleaning the dishes in silent. His mind returned to his problem, thinking how to reach Diagon Alley safely.

As he finished cleaning the dishes, he had yet to find out outlet for his problem. At first, he thought about using Knight Bus service, but he didn't have magical currency; Galleon, Sickle and Knuts, with him.

As he dismissed the idea to use Knight Bus service, he climbed down the stool and saw Vernon and Dudley were ready to go to workplace and school respectively. He watched silently as they walked to front door as though they were harmonious family, ignoring him who was standing next to the sink.

Small pang of pain stabbed his heart, but Gamer's Mind effect dulled it ruthlessly. He missed his family and two younger siblings when he saw the Dursleys. He worried and missed them so much. Even though he was already 19, he would find how hard keeping back his tears, if not for the Gamer's Mind passive effect.

He walked out of the kitchen in daze, his mind thinking over his family. When he stopped in front of the cupboard under the stairs, he forcefully squashed his feeling and immersed fully into Gamer's Mind effect.

 _So . . . I must go to elementary school, again?_ He asked to himself as he opened the cupboard door, while feeling funny and irritated because he'd finished his elementary school long time ago. _Not a snowball's chance in hell — I won't go there. I don't even know Harry Potter's elementary school. It seems like I'm going to skip the school today._

He wasn't in the mood to prepare himself correctly. He really wanted to reach Gringotts as soon as possible and leave this place quickly. He was only in here for less than an hour, but he felt uncomfortable because the cold look and treatment from Dursleys. Besides, continuing to live here was bad for his health and survival.

Being aware of what would happen wasn't good at all — there was also the downside. Knowing he had a lunatic — who could throw deadly curses like throwing away empty cans of beer — gunning for his life made him afraid for his safety.

He halfheartedly pulled out the old sneakers that were full of holes and the second hand bag that needed to be fixed from the corner of cupboard. Ignoring the bad condition of his equipment, he donned it and silently walked out of Number 4 Privet Drive, taking random direction for he didn't have plan to go to school.

While he was walking on the roadside, his mind couldn't stop from finding a solution for his predicament. So far, His Gamer's Mind had been helping him from snapping out and scratching his hair like crazy person.

Remembering something, he stopped on his step. _Can I do it?_ He asked to himself silently. He weighed his new ideas, before he steeled his expression. _Stop overthinking it! I won't know if I don't have courage to try._ He collected his resolve and searched for empty nondescript spot. After searching for a while, he saw an empty park not far from his position and decided to go there.

Arriving at the park, he checked around and then breathed out in relief. The park was empty — nobody was here. Even so, he needed to keep himself hidden. He didn't want neighbors in Privet Drive to see him here and tell Petunia he was skipping the school. His plan would be ruined if Petunia forced him to go back, and a possible punishment such as being locked in the cupboard without meal for the rest of the day.

He didn't want that, thank you very much.

He froze as epiphany hit him. _Oh, no! I've become paranoid!_ He raised his hand and then rested his face on his palm. _Okay . . . calm down me. It isn't bad. It keeps you safe. Being paranoid isn't bad, right?_ He reminded to himself and then put his hand down. He shook his head, clearing the distracting thoughts in his mind.

He dallied back and forth for a while as he overworked his mind to find an answer. He'd lost track of time as he was deep in thought. Suddenly, his body straightened and then palmed his face. _How could I forget it? Harry can use Apparition and moved to rooftop when Dudley and his gang had their favorite game — 'Harry's Hunting' — in the flashback._

He hesitated after he remembered that Apparition skill wasn't listed in 'Skill List'. In the series, Harry was desperate and distressed because Dudley and his gang. What Harry Potter had done was accidental magic, not a deliberate action.

 _Nevertheless, I must try. I cannot give up before trying!_

Steeling his mind, he decided to try his idea. He closed his eyes and focused inwards, trying to feel his magic. After a while, he could feel it and was amazed by the otherworldly feeling. He never experienced something like that — it felt mysterious, dangerous and very alluring, as though the sirens and/or mermaids' songs that sounded beautiful and entrancing yet holding great deal of danger.

He metaphorically poked his magic, guided his magic to every inch of his body, and willed it to move as he wish inside his body. He could feel mysterious feedback from his magic as he played with it, and he couldn't help but felt addicted by the new experience. As former normal human, he never had something so fantastical as magic.

He immersed himself into the mysterious sensation of his magic, and lost track of time because of it. Fortunately, he had made right decision, hiding himself in nondescript corner of the park. If not, people — mostly the neighbors in Privet Drive — would see him, standing silently for hours while closing his eyes, as though he was someone barmy and unhinged.

Four hours later, he came back from the exhilarating feeling from getting closer with his magic, forgetting his main priority. When he snapped out of his excitement, he found out that the sun was almost reaching the zenith. He checked the digital clock in the corner of his view and he immediately opened his eyes wide in surprise and disbelief. _Shit! I lost track of ti—_

PING — PING — PING — PING!

Four continuous loud chiming voices rang in his head, cutting his thoughts abruptly. He almost flinched for the sudden interruption. He regained his bearing quickly and saw notification popups in front of his face.

 **「** **Your Magic Control's Mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

 **「** **Your Magic Control's Mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

 **「** **Your Magic Control's Mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

 **「** **Your Magic Control's Mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

 _Huh?_ He stared owlishly at the notifications for a moment before Gamer's Mind kicked on and drowned the confusion with ice-cold calmness. He quickly made a conjecture from what'd happened.

 _So . . ._ he started inwardly, _controlling my magic like that is same with exercising my control over my magic._ He theorized silently. His eyes were shining with cold-calculating glint, giving eerie vibe to whomever saw his eyes.

Fortunately, he was alone.

 _At least, I didn't waste four hours for nothing . . ._ he sighed quietly. Then he returned to his pervious idea, namely trying to use Apparition.

He closed his eyes and tried to control his magic, willing it to send him to some inconspicuous corner near the Leaky Cauldron. He could feel the arcane power in him becoming restless, but just like that. He didn't feel the squeezing feeling, as though he was forced to go through a hosepipe.

Opening his eyes, he found out he was still standing on his spot. _What happened? Why can't I use Apparition?_ Frustration filled his mind, but the Gamer's Mind soothed his mind quickly. After calming down, he tried, tried, and tried. He'd wasted almost half an hour, and yet he couldn't use Apparition.

PING

He raised his eyebrow when the annoying and loud sound effect rang in his head. He reminded to himself that he should lower the sound effect volume later. He saw new notification appeared in front of his face and read it quietly.

 **「** **Attention!** **」**

 **「** **You cannot learn this skill; your mana and magic control skill is insufficient. Increase your magic control tier to next stage and then try again!** **」**

Dully staring at the notification, he didn't know if he should cry, laugh or start throwing tantrum like unscrupulous child. Whatever that'd put him in this state and given him this power was a tease and sadist. His Magic Control skill was only first-tier and to evolve it to next stage, he needed to raise it to seventh-tier first.

He sighed resignedly and dismissed the notification. At least, the bastard told the requirement to learn Apparition.

Then he started thinking other alternative. He found one, but he hesitated.

His new idea was to call a House-elf and asked for help. However, he only knew three House-elf highlighted in the series, they were Dobby, Winky and Kreacher. However, each House-elf had his or her downside and risk. Their loyalty to their master, even though the aforementioned master was a bastard, and THAT could endanger him.

Dobby was still Malfoy's house-elf. As Malfoy's house-elf, he couldn't lie to his Master and if Malfoy Sr. found out his whereabouts, it could become his end, a tragic end. Malfoy was a pureblood staunch and he was member of Tom's inner-circle, the risk outweighed the benefit, so he crosses Dobby's name from the list . . . for now.

Next was Winky. The female House elf belonged to Barty Crouch. He thought over the possibilities, but he remembered the Barty Crouch Jr. predicament. Asking a favor to Winky was impossible.

The last in the list was Kreacher. The old and crazy House-elf of Black family. He could remember that Kreacher should've been died if not for Regulus Black's sacrifice at 1979. He furrowed his forehead as he tried to remember about the black family. If his memory was correct, Walburga Black had supposedly been dead at 1985. He peeked at the clock in corner of his view, and the date was displayed under it.

 **「** **February 14, 1988** **」**

He planned to run away from home at Valentine. If only he was running away from home to elope with his secret lover, everything would be perfect. It would be a romantic story, but alas . . . the truth was different from what people wished for.

It had been three years since the death of Walburga Black. But he wasn't sure if the information he had was same with what's in this world. He was very skeptic with his own knowledge because he didn't look like Daniel Radcliff; Vernon Dursley didn't look like Richard Griffiths, Petunia Dursley didn't look like Fiona Shaw, and more importantly young Harry Melling was dozens of times more cuter than the Dudley Dursley he'd seen few hours ago. At least, he — as Harry Potter — would grow into handsome young man with enough care in which wouldn't happen if he stayed with the Dursleys.

 _Desperate measure for desperate time, and I'm desperate now. So please don't troll me whatever you are that has forced me to play the role of Harry Potter!_

Crossing his fingers, he called the House-elf of the Black Family, "Kreacher," and with soft popping sound, he saw skinny humanoid creature, standing at 3" and wearing black pillowcase, worn like toga, appeared in front of him.

 **「** **Kreacher** **」**

"You! Who are you? How do you know Kreacher's name! You — noooo! A filthy Mudblood, animal, how dare you shame Kreacher! Shameful, shameful — Kreacher is filthy because he is listening to filthy Mudblood's call!"

He gapped in shock and disbelief as the old House-elf started shrieking loudly, just after the house-elf saw him. He did the knee-jerk reaction and jumped to Kreacher, trying to make the crazy elf shut his loud mouth.

In his haste, he forgot just how crazy house-elf could be.

Kreacher faced his assault head on. The crazy house elf jumped to him with snarl on his ugly face. They slammed onto each other in the air and dropped down to ground, and they immediately wrestled as if their life relied on it. Actually, our protagonist's life relied to it, as Kreacher tried to kill him by strangling his windpipe to death.

"Filthy mudblood, animal, abomination — begone! Begone so Kreacher can wash away his shame!"

 _Fuck! This little bastard is crazy!_ He shouted inwardly. Thankfully, Gamer's Body numbed the pain from Kreacher's strong stranglehold. However, he knew he wasn't safe yet. After a moment, he felt tight in the chest. His lungs needed oxygen, but Kreacher strangled his neck and made it impossible to breathe.

He saw translucent screen appeared between his face and Kreacher's snarling face. Mother fucker! He cursed inwardly as he saw the contents of the screen. Way to disturb someone whom tries to keep himself alive.

 **「** **Warning!** **」**

 **「** **Your oxygen supply is cut; your Health is reduced by 1 point each second** **」**

He felt panic after he understood what was meant by the notice in front of him. He had 75 Health and if it was reduced by 1 point each second, he would die in a minute and quarter.

What surprised him was he didn't mind about it. In fact, he didn't care if he died. He knew it wasn't because of Gamer's Mind skill. It showed he was broken inside. No one would stay same after he or she experienced tragedy or near death experience. Usually, they would diagnosed as PTSD victim. However, he was different. He wasn't a survivor of near death experience — he had died — and found himself in body that wasn't his. Even though he didn't fear death, he was still nervous and wary of what would happen after it.

As his Health trickled down one by one point, he tried to find solution for his current predicament. He was glad Gamer's Mind helped to calm him. After his Health reduced by more than half, he tried hard to speak, "Krea . . . cher . . . sto . . . op!"

Despite his broken speech, Kreacher could clearly understand what he was saying. Instead of stopping his deeds, Kreacher even increased the pressure on his stranglehold.

"Mother . . . fucker!" Our protagonist didn't hold back and cursed loudly in between of his strangled breath. "You . . . piece of . . . dog shit! If you . . . won't release . . . me, you . . . won't find . . . someone else . . . who can help . . . you . . . doing . . . Regulus' last wish," He croaked indignantly.

The pressure around his neck vanished suddenly and he inhaled deeply. He never thought breathing was this wonderful. He felt his body was spent and dead tired. When he checked his Health, he saw the Health bar was only quarter left and the color turned to orange from green. He turned to Kreacher and saw the crazy elf was staring at him unblinkingly with his tennis ball-sized eyes. He raised his eyebrow in silent question.

"How? How you — a filthy mudblood — know about Great Master Regulus' last wish?"

"Now, you don't need to know how I know about that. What important is will you make a deal with me to finish what Regulus had started?" He prompted as he rubbed his neck. He could feel the phantom feeling left from being strangled by crazy elf above him.

"A deal? What deal?"

Kreacher stared at him suspiciously. He ignored the suspicious stare and continued:

"Don't worry. I don't lie to you. I really know how to destroy the locket, but I cannot tell you or destroy it myself because I'm still young. I promise I'll destroy it when I'm turned fifteen," explained our protagonist seriously.

Kreacher pondered for a moment before he nodded reluctantly. "I believe in you," said Kreacher, "I will wait until you turn fifteen. What do you need from Kreacher?"

"Is Black's manor in London habitable?" He asked to Kreacher without mincing his words.

"What do you want with Mistress' house?"

From the look of it, Walburga had died just as he guessed. "I'm going to live in there from now on," he said, "Can you tell me what kind of wards it has?"

Kreacher was silent for a moment. "The house wards is strong and nasty. You can live here but never tell Mistress Krecher let you live here. Oh no! Kreacher must punish himself after this because he has let filthy mudblood to live in Black'smanor. But it is Kreacher's sacrifice for Great Master Regulus," ranted Kreacher.

"Can you place Fidelius charm on the house?" cut our protagonist before the old elf would do something crazy. He didn't think he'd stay calm if he saw sentient creature like Kreacher torturing himself.

"Why? Why do you want to hide Mistress's house?"

He pulled a thoughtful expression, thinking how he should put it. "Well," he started, "you know the hype how I vanquished Lord Voldemort?" When he saw Kreacher nodded at his remark, he elaborated, "His diehard followers are likely trying to find me and revenge for their fallen leader. I was safe so far because the intent-based blood ward Albus Dumbledore has placed around my . . . filthy muggle relatives, but they treated me badly and turned me into their personal little house-elf."

"Unforgivable! Even though Young Master Harry Potter is Mudblood, but muggle dare to treat him like slave! Unforgiveable, unforgivable!"

He was surprised when Kreacher roared in rage out the blue. He was also curious by the respect Kreacher showed for him, when the elf called him Young Master. He'd decided to ignore the Mudblood comment for now, but he promised to himself he would make Kreacher stop calling him with that insult.

"Can I continue?" He decided to cut Kreacher's rant before it could turn worse.

"Of course, of course," said Kreacher while he bobbed his head up and down.

"I suspect, Dumbledore doesn't know their . . . irresponsible treatment and outright neglect they did to me, but I have feeling I cannot go away from my relative's house because the blood ward — keeping me safer or whatnot. However, I cannot endure their treatment any longer, so I have decided to run away. Now, I need a place to live with strong ward that can stop any magical tracking tricks. I know Fidelius charm can stop any magical training and no one can find the object hidden under it, except if the secret-keep tells others about the secret. That's way I need a place with Fidelius charm hiding it."

Kreacher had a pensive expression, before the elf shook his head in dismay. "Kreacher cannot cast the hiding charm because Kreacher doesn't know how. Such shame, such shame."

"How about goblin in Gringotts? Can they set Fidelius for me?" asked out protagonist.

"Those lots of barbarian can do it, for high price of course. They lot are greedy, very greedy."

"Is that so?" He asked to no one, "As long as they can do the job, I don't mind to pay their service. Of course, as long as they aren't extorting me. My trust vault only holds much and I still have other necessities. So can you bring me to Gringotts first before we go to Black's Manor?"

"Mudblood Young Master wants to see the greedy goblins now?" asked Kreacher in confusion.

"The faster I can get my freedom, the better," he explained calmly.

Kreacher climbed down from his body and he hurriedly stood up. He saw Kreacher stared at the dirt in his clothes and frowned.

"Cannot do, cannot do — Mudblood Young Master is filthy. Let Kreacher clean you."

Before our protagonist could open his mouth, Kreacher already flicked his long and thin fingers, creating a snapping sound. He could feel mysterious sensation that couldn't be described in words, the sensation of arcane power covering his body. In a split second later, the sensation disappeared and he looked clean.

PING

He blinked when new notification appeared.

 **「** **Congratulation!** **」**

 **「** **You have learned a new skill:**

 **Magic Sense (Active-type) — Mastery: 0/1000**

 **You can feel magic around you when you are focusing at it. This skill is seven-tiered skill and at the first tier, you can only sense magic in 3.2" radius around you and cannot see the intent of the magic.**

 **Cost: 10 Mana/Min** **」**

 **「** **Your Magic Sense skill mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

He stared at the notification quietly for a moment, while thinking; at least, this is very useful skill.

"Mudblood Young Master, are we going to see greedy goblins or not?"

He snapped out of his reverie by Kreacher's question and then turned to the old crazy elf. "Yes," he said, "We go now."

Kreacher offered his hand and our protagonist accepted it. A second later, they disappeared from Surrey with soft popping sound.

 **『** **To be Continued** **』**

 _ **Main Character Status as of the end of this chapter:**_

 **Name:** Harry Potter (?)

 **Age:** 7 years, 7 months

 **Job:** the Gamer

 **Class:** Untrained-Wizard

 **Health:** 75/75 (Regen: 0.75/Min)

 **Mana:** 805/805 (Regen: 8.05/Min) **(Up 10pts!)**

 **Strength:** 6.5

 **Speed:** 9

 **Vitality:** 7.5

 **Magic:** 80.5 (62.5*+17) **(Up 1pt!)**

 **Charisma:** 12 (5*+7)

 **Luck:** ?

 **Money:** £0.5

 _ **Skill Set:**_

 _ **Gamer's Mind**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Allows you to think things calmly and logically even under pressure — a peaceful state of mind. Immunity to psychological status effects and possession. This skill also gives you Eidetic Memory. This skill will dull your emotions slightly as price.

 _ **Gamer's Body**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Grants a body that allows you to live the real world like a game, numbs some pains from injury you sustained, and gives ability to regenerate missing body parts when your health fully regenerated.

 _ **Multilingual**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Innate ability to speak and understand any languages, even though you have never learned it beforehand. Unfortunately, the effect doesn't bleed into your reading or writing skill. You need to learn how to write and read a language you don't know.

 _ **Magic Control**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: 180/1000 (Up 4pts!)**

With enough intent, focus and willpower you can control your magic to create miracle or unusual phenomenon. This skill is seven-tiered skill and it has higher version of it. After all, the truth of magic is mystery.

Passive Effect: Magic stat +1 with each 10 accumulated Mastery points.

 _ **Meditation**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 261/1000**

To know and control oneself body and mind. Meditation has been used for centuries to center oneself and for relaxation, now you have started on the same path as though before you.

Active Effect: Mana Regeneration x2

 _ **Housekeeping**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 736/1000**

The management of duties and chores involved in the running of a household, such as cleaning, cooking, home maintenance, shopping, laundry and bill pay. You don't need a housekeeper as you're the one yourself.

Passive Effect: Charisma stat +1 with each 100 accumulated Mastery points.

 _ **Parseltongue**_ **(Special) — Mastery: MAX**

The language of serpents (as well as other magical serpent-based creatures, like the Runespoor and Basilisk) and those who can converse with them.

Passive Effect: Power and potency of spell is multiplied by 2 if casted with Parseltongue

 _ **Accidental Magic**_ **(Special) — Mastery: MAX**

As a magical child, you are prone to using magic accidentally when feeling angry, scared, or confused, as a form of self-defense. You have no control over this magic.

Cost: Varying

Active Effect: Varying

 _ **Magic Sense**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 1/1000 (New Skill!)**

You can feel magic around you when you are focusing at it. This skill is seven-tiered skill and at the first tier, you can only sense magic in 3.2" radius around you and cannot see the intent of the magic.

Cost: 10 Mana/Min


	3. Greedy Little Buggers

**「** **Author's Note** **」** **]**

 _I present you the third chapter of this story._

 _I want to notice you about the small revision for chapter 2. This revision is about the speculation of Charlus and Dorea Potter as James' parent, which was actually wrong. Harry's grandparents were Fleamont — a wonderful dueler and amazing Potioneer — and Euphemia Potter. Honestly, this detail blindsided me and I needed to revise the part where our protagonist trying to stop Kreacher for killing him and how to make Kreacher help him. Our MC is still going to live in Black's Manor. The plot didn't change, just the small part in the chapter has changed. You can check it, or you can continue reading this chapter. It's up to you._

 _After sharing the revision for chapter 2, now is the time to check out to review reply section for those whose account didn't let PM and the guests._

 _First, we have_ _ **18Dragon**_ _, and my answer for his review is like this:_

 _"Well, I'm not sure if I'm going to make a Kleptomania out of the MC. Nevertheless, it was very good idea and rarely used._

 _Thank you for your review."_

 _Next is_ _ **Anonym**_ _and my answer for his review is below:_

 _"Thank you for your kind words, Sir. Don't worry about the hardship of the character. From the look of it, it's correct to say the character seems like pushover, but you needn't worry about that. Remember, the MC has eidetic memory for his edge and he could study magic theory will increasing his magic control. In fact, Magic Control skill mastery will raise as he understands and learns magic._

 _For Magic stat, well, it won't rise just because he exercise his magic control for four hour. You will find out later when the MAGIC stat will rise. Please remember MC has gained bonus stat points in first chapter as the reward for finishing tutorial._

 _Thank you for your review, Gent/Lady. I do appreciate it."_

 _Now we have answer for_ _ **mm**_ _'s review below:_

 _"My, thank you for the kind words and keeping me grounded, Sir/Ma'am. I need that a lot these days. I'll do my best to keep the story quality and I hope you can enjoy each chapter I posted._

 _Thank you for your review."_

 _Those are the answers for reviews I couldn't reply via PM. It ended this author's note section and now is time to begin the story earnestly._

 _Enjoy~_

 **「** **Disclaimer** **」**

 **Harry Potter and the franchise belonged to J.K. Rowling and WB studios. The author only stole some elements from the story, and he hopes you won't tell the Harry Potter's publisher team because he is afraid of being sued. Thank you . . .**

 **「** **Extra Note** **」**

"Game of Truth Seeker," speaking normally.

 _Game of Truth Seeker,_ mulling/thinking in mind.

 **"Game of Truth Seeker,"** speaking in gobbledygook.

 **『** **Chapter 03: Greedy Little Buggers** **』**

To say our protagonist, or the body he currently possessed, was cursed by some higher power to react badly with any magical transportation wasn't wrong conclusion. First, he felt disoriented and next he felt his stomach flipped, making him throw up the hard earned bacon and sausage he'd eaten in the morning. He bent his body forwards and his hand held on the white wall to support his body.

Some pedestrians turned to him, some showing pity and the others not so much. Fortunately, his bang covered his scar, so his anonymity had yet to blow up. Meanwhile, Kreacher was staring at him in utter confusion.

"Is Mudblood Young Master okay?" said Kreacher as he stood next to our pitiful protagonist. Kreacher — oh, dear sweet Kreacher — could show his concern while insulting our beloved protagonist at the same time. What a peculiar talent the crazy old elf had.

"Don't worry — Blergh! — my stomach just upsets, because of sudden uses of apparition — Burp! Blergh!"

"Is Mudblood Young Master needs Kreacher to take potion for yours bad tummy?"

"No . . ." said our protagonist, refusing Kreacher offers. "I'm fine . . . it's getting better." His stomach finally calmed down. Other than his bruised ego, he was healthy as horse.

He turned to the goblin guard whom watched the spectacle. The little bugger dared to feel amused because of his misery. He could see it — the amusement — in the goblin's eyes, even though the goblin's face was emotionless.

 _Fucking little bugger! I swear after I get godlike power, I'm going to rob your bank first_ , he thought spitefully. Then he turned to Kreacher and spoke, "Let's go. I want this farce finished today."

Kreacher bobbed his head up and down and then the elf followed him as he entered the white building. After few steps, he and Kreacher arrived in front of magnificent double door with two goblins armed with sharp and dangerous weapons guarding the bank's entrance. His eyes zeroed to the inscriptions on the golden plate on the wall. He read the contents silently:

 _Enter, stranger, but take heed_

 _Of what awaits the sin of greed,_

 _For those who take, but do not earn,_

 _Must pay most dearly in their turn._

 _So if you seek beneath our floors_

 _A treasure that was never yours,_

 _Thief, you have been warned, beware_

 _Of finding more than treasure there._

 _Showing off — the lot of them_ , he thought in annoyance and then walked into the hallowed hall of famous Gringotts. He could see many Tellers working at the tables that lined up inside the opulent hall. His eyes moved around, memorizing the gaudy settings of the heart of Britain's magical economy.

Shaking his head, he regained his bearing and then hurriedly walked to the table with vacant queue. He saw a goblin teller in neat suit looking busy with precious jewel scattered on the surface of the table. He swallowed heavily because of the excessive shows of wealth. It was the first time for him to see many precious jewels firsthand.

He cleared his throat, trying to catch the teller's attention. When the goblin teller raised his head and stared at him, he could see disdain and malice in the little bugger's eyes. "What do you need, _Sir_?"

Even though the goblin's voice was even, he could hear the sarcasms and disdain when the goblin called him with 'Sir' word.

" **Er . . . I need to see Potter family's Vault Keeper, Sir,"** said our protagonist.

The goblin blinked, Kreacher whom was standing next to him also blinked, and he blinked too. He could listen to the gibberish and deep growls that escaped his mouth as he spoke to the teller.

 _Well, no wonder my throat is sore. I have spoken in goblin's native language — gobbledygook if I call correctly_ , he mused inwardly after he realized he'd instinctively said in gobbledygook, likely because his Multilingual skill, as he rubbed his throat, trying to elevate the soreness.

" **What do you need, wizard?"** said the teller, surprisingly in gobbledygook. The malice and disdain in the goblin's eyes had disappeared, and curiosity could be seen in his beady eyes.

" **Well,"** he began carefully, **"I lost my family's vault key, and I need to meet with Potter's Vault Keeper to create the new one."**

The Teller smirked, showing off his wickedly sharp teeth, and then, he spoke, **"Is it? Do you know what will happen to you if we find out you're committing a fraud?"**

Our protagonist stared the goblin calmly, thanks to Gamer's Mind effect. If not because of that broken skill, he was already fleeing away.

" **Do your worst,"** said our protagonist in fake bravado. It was fortunate for him that Gamer's Mind hid what he truly felt and made controlling his own face easier. They regarded each other for a while before the smirk on the Teller's face became wider. The Teller suddenly turned to other side and rang the golden bell on his table.

A moment later, younger looking goblin whom was also wearing neat suit walked to the Teller desk and the Teller issued its command in gobbledygook, **"Sharpfang! Bring this lad to Master Ripclaw's office!"**

The other goblin — Sharpfang — nodded silently and walked to our protagonist. "Follow me, _please_ ," said Sharpfang, but our protagonist could hear disdain in his tone, likely because he must treat a little wizard with respect, even though it was only a façade.

Because he and the Teller conversed in a low volume, no one had heard them talking in goblin language. Sharpfang didn't know that he could understand what the goblin says in gobbledygook.

Our protagonist immediately followed Sharpfang, Kreacher following behind him silently. Instead of the crazy ride he'd expected, Sharpfang escorted them to very long corridor. He could see doors at his left and right, alphabetically tagged with some familiar name: Abbot, Bones, Crouch, Davis, etc.

From the look of it, he guessed the room was office of account manager for the displayed name. After walking far in corridor, he could see some family with 'P' as an initial letter.

"Inside is Potter's Vault Keeper, _Sir_ ," said Sharpfang.

Our protagonist just nodded and let Sharpfang opened the door. He could hear soft curse under Sharpfang's breath, saying, **"Fuckin' Wizard! Lazy dullards the lot of them! Won't open the door by himself."**

To the others who didn't understand gobbledygook, they'd think the little bugger just released a meaningless throaty and rumbling breath, but he could understand what the little bugger had spoken and decided to ignore it.

Our protagonist entered the office, the oddly silent Kreacher following him from behind. His eyes immediately saw the old goblin with scary vertical scar that ran through his left eye. He guessed it was a memento from one of his glorious fight. Just as he and the old goblin stared at each other in the eyes, he could feel his base flight or fight natural instinct roared at him, telling him to run or die by the old goblin's hand. It felt as though a knife was pointed at him, ready to take his life at any moment.

As much as he hated his Gamer's Mind skill, he also liked it because it showed its prowess when he was under pressure.

PING—

 **「** **Congratulation!** **」**

 **「** **You have learned new skill:**

 **Instinct (Passive-type) — Mastery: 0/1000**

 **The sixth sense that told you something your other sense cannot find sense. This skill is seven-tiered skill. At first tier, you can feel the danger in 3.2" radius around you. Raise your skill tier to expand the distance** **」**

 **「** **Your Instinct skill mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

The notice snapped him out of his trance. Then he dismissed the notice and controlled his emotion quickly. He stared back at the old goblin silently and they regarded each other in silent.

Above the goblin head, our protagonist found the old goblin's name.

 **「** **Ripclaw** **」**

"What do you need, little wizard," said the goblin named Ripclaw in English.

" **Well,"** began our protagonist in gobbledygook, catching Ripclaw and Sharpang whom was guarding the door off guard. **"I lost the key to access my family's vault and I want to create new one, Sir."**

" **Interesting,"** whispered Ripclaw under his breath. He regarded our protagonist silently and nodded his head.

Meanwhile, Sharpfang looked like a child whom was caught stealing cookies from jar. Sharpfang never thought a mere wand-waving wizard, a young one, could speak gobbledygook fluently. He cursed silently as he realized our protagonist could understand when he cursed before.

" **Is that so?"** said Ripclaw skeptically.

" **Er . . . Yes."** He replied unsurely.

Ripclaw nodded and then he took out small ritual dagger and small basin with exquisite looking runes craved on the surface. **"Your blood please?"**

Our protagonist became wary when he heard Ripclaw's request. **"Sorry, Sir? How much do you need it?"** he asked. When he saw Ripclaw narrowed his eyes, he hurriedly elaborated, **"I'm wary to give you my blood because many . . . dangerous thing can happen if someone with bad intention to me holds my blood."**

" **A drop is suffice for the ritual,"** said Ripclaw.

Nodding his head, our protagonist accepted Ripclaw's words. He took the ritual dagger on the desk and inspected it meticulously. He saw the exquisite-looking runes carved on the surface of the shiny silver-colored metal. The handle looked like bone — he didn't want to know what bone it was. It could be the bone of foolish wizard or witch whom had offended Gringotts in the past.

PING—

He snapped out of his meticulous inspection when notice popped up in front of his face.

 **「** **Congratulation!** **」**

 **「** **You have learned a new skill:**

 **Observation (Active-type) — Mastery: 0/1000**

 **Observe something to gain more information the object. This skill's effect is separated into four lesser stages. With each 250 points accumulated, you can gain more information from the object you observed. To active the skill, say/think 'Observe' while you stare at the object.**

 **Cost: 5 Mana** **」**

He blinked, feelings surprised. He'd gained two skills today and both skills were important supplementary skills for his survival. Shaking his head, he dismissed the notification and then he stared at the dagger. _Observe,_ he activated his skill silently.

 **「** **Ritual Dagger** **」**

Just like that. He felt his dull excitement snuffed out at instant, as though a burning candle thrown into boundless sea. What was the meaning of observation skill if it could only give him the name of the object he observes?

PING—

 **「** **Congratulation!** **」**

 **「** **Your Observation mastery has been increased by 1pt** **」**

He dismissed the notice as he saw annoyance in Ripclaw's beady eyes, likely because he had wasted the old goblin's time. Not wanting to anger the dangerous old goblin, he quickly punctured his left index finger with the ritual dagger and then squeezed his finger to draw blood. He was glad he had Gamer's Body that dulled his pain, stopping him from feeling pain from the self-harming action.

After his blood dropped into the basin, Ripclaw immediately touched one exquisite-looking rune on the basin surface with his long and thin finger. The basin glowed and then the single drop of his blood burned out by abnormal blue fire burned the blood until it disappeared, leaving nothing behind. He glanced at Ripclaw and he saw the old goblin nodded slightly, accepting his identity as real Harry Potter.

" **You are indeed scion and the last member of Potter's family,"** Ripclaw acknowledged his identity.

He felt tension left his body after he heard the goblin's proclamation. He had worried that the goblin's trick would find out he wasn't real Harry Potter, but a stranded soul possessing Harry Potter's body. Thankfully, the ritual acknowledged his as Harry Potter. He was curious what would happen if the ritual found out he wasn't the real Harry Potter and asked Ripclaw politely, **"What will happen if I'm not . . . well, the real me?"**

" **Black fire will appear and Gringotts will know that you're fake,"** said Ripclaw disinterestedly. **"If Gringotts finds you committing fraud inside its hallowed hall, well, let's say it won't be pretty."** Ripclaw smirked widely, showing the rows of sharp teeth that could tear his flesh and bones easily.

 **「** **Bloodlust Detected!** **」**

 **「** **Your Instinct skill mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

Our protagonist swallowed his saliva loudly. He felt it was bad for his future endeavor if he became goblin's enemy.

Then Ripclaw told him about the service payment, **"The fines for replacing the key will be taken from your family's vault."**

" **How much is it?"**

Ripclaw regarded our protagonist silently and then he spoke, **"100 Gold-Galleons."**

He accepted Ripclaw's answer as it was reasonable price in his eyes. Well, he didn't know if £500 was reasonable price to replace a key or not. Replacing a lost debit card wasn't that expensive, but of course, we couldn't apply muggle's common sense in wizarding world. After all, there were dragons guarding the vault under Gringotts' hallowed hall. No muggle bank was crazy enough to place a dragon as guard. Then again, muggle didn't know that dragon was still existing.

Then he watched the goblin put back basin inside the drawer under the desk, leaving the dagger behind. Ripclaw took a big golden key, the key's head as big as his small palm and the shaft longer than his hand, and put the item on the table surface. Ripclaw turned to him before he spoke, **"Drop your blood on the key."**

Our protagonist followed the instruction silently, drawing another droplet of blood with the help of Ritual Dagger, and then he watched as Ripclaw took the key and put it on his wide palm. He saw Ripclaw pointed his index finger at the blood, and then Ripclaw began chanting in soft voice.

" **Oh, the earth spirit whom bless mine race as Warrior, Smith and Miner, heed mine plea and alloweth our magic followeth our wish, as how thee deemed us worthy of our magic. So mote t beest!"**

His interest piqued by the mysterious incantation. He saw the blood was absorbed into the key, as if the key wasn't made of steel, but sponge. He activated his 'Magic Sense' and he could feel esoteric magic enveloped the key. Unfortunately, he didn't have clue the working of the magic. He used his Magic Sense until the mystifying display of goblin magic finished.

PING—

 **「** **Congratulation!** **」**

 **「** **Your Magic Sense skill mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

Ripclaw turned to our protagonist after the ritual finished and spoke, **"Do you have other business with Gringotts?"**

Our protagonist dismissed the notice and mulled over his next move for a moment. He returned from his silent mulling and spoke, **"actually, I need Gringotts' service."** He paused and waited for Ripclaw's reaction. When the goblin silently waited for him to continue, he decided to go to the point. **"I need Gringotts' service to help me setting a Fidelius charm in the place I'm going to live, I also need checkup and find out if I have tracking charm or something like it in me, and if I have one, I need Gringotts' service to get rid of it."**

Ripclaw regarded him silently, making him nervous. He was afraid if Gringotts wouldn't help him with his problem. He didn't know where he could find solution for his pressing problem. Thankfully, his flat face betrayed nothing, and he was glad he had something like Gamer's Mind.

" **Gringotts can do both,"** said Ripclaw. Our protagonist felt the pressure on his shoulders disappeared and he perked up. However, Ripclaw hadn't finished yet. **"For a price, of course,"** finished Ripclaw with shrewd glint in his eyes.

Our protagonist gulped his saliva loudly. He felt pressure after he saw the shrewd glint in the old goblin's eyes. **"How much?"** He questioned dreadfully.

" **1,000 Gold-Galleons,"** replied Ripclaw curtly.

Even with Gamer's Mind keeping him calm, the amount Ripclaw had spoken was too expensive. G1,000 was equal with £5,000.

This was extortion to the highest degree!

" **Can you lower the price, Sir?"** our poor protagonist tried to bargain. However, Ripclaw stared at him silently, he raising one of his brows, and answered curtly, **"No. If you don't want to pay, then don't ask for Gringotts's service."**

" **Can I see the audit of my family's vault, Sir?"** he said after he breathed out in resignation.

Ripclaw nodded and then he took out a folder from the drawer silently. Our protagonist accepted the folder and opened the folder. He read the contents silently:

 _ **Vault 687**_

 _ **Owner: Potter Family**_

 _ **Vault's Keeper: Ripclaw**_

 _ **Total sum: 225,782 Galleons, 9 Sickles, 21 Knuts**_

 _ **Last transaction:**_

 _ **50 Gallons; Monthly fines for Vault's care (February 1, 1988)**_

 _ **50 Gallons; Monthly fines for Vault's care (January 1, 1988)**_

 _ **10,000 Galleons; yearly income from Sleekeazy's Hair Potion patent (January 1, 1988)**_

His eyes opened wide in shock when he saw how much Potter Family's fortune actually was. G225, 782 were equivalent of £1,128,910. Fuck! He was a billionaire!

Unfortunately, he could only see Sleekeazy's Hair Potion patent as his family's last source of income since 1982. The 'Pottery' — massive greenhouse belonged to Potter Family, which produced ingredients for Potion — was destroyed together with Potter Manor in First Britain Wizarding War against Lord Voldemort.

He also found that the only transaction happened so far was the fines taken as monthly fines for renting a vault in Gringotts. He didn't find other shabby transaction, and that made him drifted away to Albus Dumbledore, as the old headmaster was the one whom held his Potter Family's key.

 _Do this mean Dumbledore isn't evil in this world?_ He mused silently. _However, I cannot lower my guard yet. Besides, he is still shrewd both in politic and as person._ After he stopped his musing, he put the folder on the desk and contemplated what he'd do next.

After contemplating for a while, he decided to part with G1,000. Compared to his future, £5000 was worth as fart. **"I accept the price, Sir. I'll pay it after I can access my Family's vault again,"** said our protagonist. He saw Ripclaw began writing on parchment and stamped the parchment soon after. He could feel a mysterious magic activated after the old goblin stamped the parchment.

 **「** **Congratulation!** **」**

 **「** **Your Magic Sense skill mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

He dismissed the notice and recounted his plan in his mind. Remembering something, he hurriedly added, **"Can Gringotts finish everything before tomorrow?"**

Ripclaw raised his head, pausing amidst what he's doing, and regarded our protagonist silently. Then he nodded. **"Gringotts can do it,"** said Ripclaw. **"After you finished your business, the . . . medi-wizard worked under Gringotts will check you for any kind of tracking charm and deal with it. In the meantime, Gringotts will prepare our warder to set the charm on your property. Do you have other business?"**

Our protagonist shook his head in 'No'.

Ripclaw nodded and spoke, **"let go to your vault. I need to register the new key to your family's vault."**

The goblin climbed down from the high chair and walked out of the office. Our protagonist hurriedly followed the old goblin. As he walked behind Ripclaw, he watched Ripclaw's gait and couldn't help but shudder. Ripclaw was moving with grace, no waste movement whatsoever in his steps. The goblin's body language was dismissing him as threat, and he couldn't help but agree bitterly at the goblin's assessment of his threat level.

They entered a narrow stone passageway, lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Ripclaw whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in and were off.

At first, they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Ripclaw wasn't steering. His eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late — they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.

When the cart stopped at last beside a small door in the passage wall, they left the cart. He stopped cold on his steps when Ripclaw stopped and raised his hand. **"Wait here,"** said Ripclaw.

Our protagonist nodded and stared at the old goblin as the said goblin tracing the surface of the steel door and then inserted the new key. He guessed that Ripclaw was updating Potter family's vault security. After a while, Ripclaw stopped tracing his finger and then he twisted the key. The heavy iron door was opened with a loud, shrieking sound. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, our protagonist gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts. After reading the audit of Potter family's vault, he knew he was rich, but it was different when he saw the towering mounds of gold coins in front of him.

" **Here — pouch enchanted to be bottomless. Put the payment for your requested service inside,"** said Ripclaw as he pushed a pouch made of some brown skin.

Our protagonist just took the pouch silently and then stared at the towering mounds of gold. _How in the hell I'm going to count this?_ He questioned himself in bewilderment. Then he stared around and saw Kreacher.

An idea appeared in his head.

"Kreacher," said our protagonist in English, "can you help me to fill this thing with galleons?"

Kreacher stared at him owlishly for a moment, and then the elf nodded his big head. The old elf flicked his finger and with a loud snapping sound, all golds, silvers and bronzes in the vault disappeared, leaving nothing but dust behind.

Our protagonist immediately dropped the pouch on the floor because of the sudden absurd increase in the weight. It seemed that the pouch only charmed to be bottomless, and not feather-light.

In the other hand, Ripclaw stared at the empty vault owlishly before he snapped out from his shocked trance. The old goblin turned to our protagonist and snarled threateningly. **"What the meaning of this?"** said Ripclaw dangerously.

Our protagonist tensed when he felt the sheer bloodlust coming from Ripclaw's direction.

 **「** **Your Instinct skill mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

" **Wait, I can explain this. This is mistake,"** he said hurriedly in gobbledygook after he dismissed the notice instinctively. Then he turned to Kreacher and spoke in English, "What I meant; move only the amount I need to pay Gringotts' service."

Kreacher stared at him unblinkingly before the elf spoke, "But, Kreacher doesn't know how much Mudblood Young Master needs the gold."

He palmed his face and then he asked Kreacher to move all golds back to the vault. With a simple snap of the elf's fingers, the empty vault was filled with mounds of golds, silvers and bronzes once again. Staring at them, our protagonist couldn't help but lament his luck.

 _It seems like I need to do this manually. What a joy?_ He thought sarcastically as he sat on his buttocks and began counting the golds.

 **『** **To be Continued** **』**

 _ **Main Character Status as of the end of this chapter:**_

 **Name:** Harry Potter (?)

 **Age:** 7 years, 7 months

 **Job:** the Gamer

 **Class:** Untrained-Wizard

 **Health:** 75/75 (Regen: 0.75/Min)

 **Mana:** 805/805 (Regen: 8.05/Min)

 **Strength:** 6.5

 **Speed:** 9

 **Vitality:** 7.5

 **Magic:** 80.5 (62.5*+18)

 **Charisma:** 12 (5*+7)

 **Luck:** ?

 **Money:** £0.5

 _ **Skill Set:**_

 _ **Gamer's Mind**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Allows you to think things calmly and logically even under pressure — a peaceful state of mind. Immunity to psychological status effects and possession. This skill also gives you Eidetic Memory. This skill will dull your emotions slightly as price.

 _ **Gamer's Body**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Grants a body that allows you to live the real world like a game, numbs some pains from injury you sustained, and gives ability to regenerate missing body parts when your health fully regenerated.

 _ **Multilingual**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Innate ability to speak and understand any languages, even though you have never learned it beforehand. Unfortunately, the effect doesn't bleed into your reading or writing skill. You need to learn how to write and read a language you don't know.

 _ **Magic Control**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: 180/1000**

With enough intent, focus and willpower you can control your magic to create miracle or unusual phenomenon. This skill is seven-tiered skill and it has higher version of it. After all, the truth of magic is mystery.

Passive Effect: Magic stat +1 with each 10 accumulated Mastery points.

 _ **Meditation**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 261/1000**

To know and control oneself body and mind. Meditation has been used for centuries to center oneself and for relaxation, now you have started on the same path as though before you.

Active Effect: Mana Regeneration x2

 _ **Housekeeping**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 736/1000**

The management of duties and chores involved in the running of a household, such as cleaning, cooking, home maintenance, shopping, laundry and bill pay. You don't need a housekeeper as you're the one yourself.

Passive Effect: Charisma stat +1 with each 100 accumulated Mastery points.

 _ **Parseltongue**_ **(Special) — Mastery: MAX**

The language of serpents (as well as other magical serpent-based creatures, like the Runespoor and Basilisk) and those who can converse with them.

Passive Effect: Power and potency of spell is multiplied by 2 if casted with Parseltongue

 _ **Accidental Magic**_ **(Special) — Mastery: MAX**

As a magical child you are prone to using magic accidentally when feeling angry, scared, or confused, as a form of self-defense. You have no control over this magic.

Cost: Varying

Active Effect: Varying

 _ **Magic Sense**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 3/1000 (Up 2pts!)**

You can feel magic around you when you are focusing at it. This skill is seven-tiered skill and at the first tier, you can only sense magic in 3.2" radius around you and cannot see the intent of the magic.

Cost: 10 Mana/Min

 _ **Instinct**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: 3/1000 (New Skill!)**

The sixth sense that told you something your other sense cannot find sense. This skill is seven-tiered skill. At first tier, you can feel the danger in 3.2" radius around you. Raise your skill tier to expand the distance.

 _ **Observation**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 1/1000 (New Skill!)**

Observe something to gain more information the object. This skill's effect is separated into four lesser stages. Each 250 points accumulated, you can gain more information from the object you observed. To active the skill, say/think 'Observe' while you stare at the object.

Cost: 5 Mana


	4. Hiding A Base

**『** **Author's Note** **』**

 _And . . . I present you with fourth chapter and the last chapter of prologue. Next chapter will be a massive time skip to new school term. I bet you're curious of what will happen with our MC in the train, right? Unfortunately, I don't have a plan to write obligatory shopping chapter, not like MC needs shopping anyhow._

 _Well, let's move on to Q/A section (I don't have other thing share to be honest)_

 _The first Question is:_ _ **Why I am nerfing the MC?**_

 _Answer: Now, I have said in the past that I won't make MC become powerful too soon. It won't be enjoyable. It's fun watching the MC struggle. When he becomes powerful, it feels more fulfilling than sudden power up bullshit! He will become powerful in the future, but it's still a long way to go._

 _The second Question is:_ _ **What**_ **"Path"** _ **MC will take?**_

 _Answer: I can say confidently he is going to be a neutral, albeit a chaotic one. He will treat someone kindly if the person treated him kindly first, and he will become brutal when he is going in the name of Goddess Nemesis! An eye for an eye as they say._

 _Now, I think the AN is enough and it's the time to begin the story. . ._

 _Enjoy~_

 **『** **Disclaimer** **』**

 **Harry Potter and the franchise belonged to J.K. Rowling and WB studios. The author only stole some elements from the story, and he hopes you won't tell the Harry Potter's publisher team because he is afraid of being sued.**

 **Thank you . . .**

 **『** **Extra Note** **』**

"Game of Truth Seeker," speaking normally.

 _Game of Truth Seeker_ , mulling/thinking in mind.

" **Game of Truth Seeker,"** speaking in gobbledygook.

 **『** **Chapter 04: Hiding A Base** **』**

Walking in stone corridor, our protagonist tried his best to be inconspicuous while he followed the annoyed old goblin in front of him. He'd wasted enough time until Ripclaw lost patience and helped him counting the gold-galleons to pay Gringotts' service. He swore he could hear Ripclaw's murderous low cursing in gobbledygook, and the goblin's colorful vocabularies was enough to make him cringe, the Gamer's Mind ability notwithstanding.

In the end, he decided to slip G100 into Ripclaw's pocket to appease the old goblin. Even so, his instinct was still screaming to him to keep a distance from the Potter family's Vault Keeper. He blamed everything to his unclear luck stat. He couldn't help but wonder if his Luck stat was actually at minus point.

They walked out of the stone corridor and entered the opulent hall of Gringotts. He followed Ripclaw as the goblin escorted him to the prepared room for his checkup. After they walked in tense silence, they arrived in front of plain wooden door. Ripclaw opened the door silently and then he turned to our protagonist, silently notifying the gamer to follow him inside.

Stepping into the room, our protagonist found himself in blank room. The walls, floor and ceiling were flat and dark without any decoration that showed Gringotts' wealth. He turned to Ripclaw enquiringly, but the old goblin ignored him as though he wasn't standing there.

What a senile old little bugger.

He decided to check the room silently. He didn't move from his spot for fear of angering the irritated goblin. Staring at the wall and ceiling, while spamming his observation skill, he couldn't find anything. However, he raised his brows when his observation picked something on the floor.

 **「** **Runes Formula** **」**

He blinked his eyes once, twice and after the third time, he narrowed his eyes as he tried to see something on the floor. Because the poorly lighting, which was produced by torch hanging on the each wall, he almost missed the slight dent on the floor. He traced the dents with his eyes and found out the dent was actually a magic circle, which could be found in generic magic genre film or cartoon.

He stopped his activity and dismissed multiple notices of his increasing Observation mastery points as he heard grinding sound. He stared ahead and saw the wall rose slowly, creating ominous archway that gave nothing but darkness on the other end. He found himself questioning if he'd made correct choice. This felt too ominous for his taste. What if Ripclaw decided to kill him in this place because he'd wasted the goblin's time?

Shaking his head, he tried to push away that morbid thought. There was no way goblin would kill him, right? After all, he was the Boy-Who-Lived and if he died, sooner or later, it would become public knowledge.

After waiting for a moment, he saw silhouette in the darkness walking towards their position. He released his breath he'd held back unintentionally as he saw odd looking goblin holding wicked looking staff with human skull on top of the staff. The new arrival was standing at 3' — an average height for goblin — and the goblin wore rough cloak made of . . . reptile skin. He could see scales and mysterious pattern on the cloak, but the size of scale was too big for normal snake.

 **「** **Skullstaff** **」**

Above the goblin head, he could see the goblin's name. Then he focused at the reptile skin cloak and activated his observation skill.

 **「** **Dragon-hide Cloak** **」**

He blinked in surprise when he found out what skin it was. Dragon! It was dragon's skin. However, he quickly calmed himself from his surprise-induced trance after he remembered how dragon in potter-verse was nerfed, unlike in other series.

" **Tell the patient to undress and lay on the runes,"** said the cloaked goblin in gobbledygook to Ripclaw.

He didn't wait for Ripclaw to tell him. He undid his oversized clothes quickly, earning a surprised look from the shaman-like goblin.

" **This little wizard understand our language and can speak it fluently. Took me by a surprise too when he spoke in our language,"** said Ripclaw as the goblin shrugged his shoulder casually.

" **Well, that's interesting,"** said the goblin shaman softly. He turned to our protagonist whom was in middle of undressing himself, and then spoke, **"Little wizard, how can you understand our language? I'm sure there are goblins who taught outsiders, moreover an enemy-race."**

Our protagonist paused in the middle of undoing his belt and turned to the goblin shaman. He mulled over his answer carefully, and then he spoke, **"I have innate ability to speak and understand all sapient languages without learning. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same with reading and writing."**

" **Is that so?"** asked Skullstaff rhetorically. Then his attention turned to Ripclaw and spoke, **"How much is my commission?"**

" **35%,"** replied Ripclaw curtly.

" **75%,"** replied Skullstaff coldly.

" **Like hell it is! 40%!"** snarled Ripclaw.

" **60% — if you won't accept, you can ask other,"** said Skullstaff in finality.

Ripclaw looked as if he had swallowed something bad. He weighed for a moment before he nodded hesitantly and said coldly, **"60% of total clean commission. That is it!"**

" **So mote it be,"** said Skullstaff.

On the side, our protagonist owlishly watched the exchange. He never thought even with their kin, goblins were a cutthroat being. Shaking his head, he cleared his mind and continued what he was doing. _Well, you find something new every day — that's what they say_ , he mused amusedly.

" **Well, wizardling, lay down on your back above the runes. The sooner we finish, the better,"** said Skullstaff and our protagonist couldn't help but agree. He'd wasted long enough in his family's vault because Ripclaw didn't want to help him counting the galleons while Kreacher was liability.

Laying down on cold stone floor in his birthday suit, our protagonist peeked at Skullstaff from the corner of his eyes. He saw Skullstaff cut his wrist and let the blood flowing into the dent on the floor. The blood flowing the runes and formerly unnoticeable turned red.

Skullstaff slammed the butt of his staff on the floor and then began chanting,

" _ **O, the mother nature who blessed us as warrior, smith and miner.**_

 _ **Listen to your humble and faithful subject!**_

 _ **Listen to my plea.**_

 _ **Listen to my plea.**_

 _ **Listen to my plea.**_

 _ **Listen to my plea.**_

 _ **Listen to my plea.**_

 _ **Listen to my plea.**_

 _ **Listen to my plea!**_

 _ **As I plead to you seven times for the seven is your blessed number.**_

 _ **Show me what I want.**_

 _ **Show me what I want.**_

 _ **Show me what I want.**_

 _ **Show me what I want.**_

 _ **Show me what I want.**_

 _ **Show me what I want.**_

 _ **Show me what I want, so mote it be!"**_

Activating his Magic Sense, our protagonist could feel the magic in the air became alive and restless. The magic circle under him glowed bright red as it absorbed the ambient energy in the air. He ignored the notice that reports his increasing Magic Sense mastery and decided to relax his body and magic. He didn't want complication happened with this ritual because he acted like smartass.

Seven minutes later, Skullstaff stopped and the magic circle stopped glowing. The blood had been drained clean from the dent on the floor. He saw Skullstaff glanced at him with furrowed forehead.

As if sensing something wasn't right, Ripclaw spoke, **"Is something wrong, Skullstaff?"**

" **This wizardling has a baggage with him. It feels filthy, tainted. It's a blight of nature!"** reported Skullstaff gravely.

Hearing that, our protagonist wondered if the goblin meant the shard of Tom's soul, which lodged in his scar. Then he voiced his thought, **"Is this filthy thing happens to be in my scar?"**

Skullstaff stared at his eyes sharply and nodded. Then he asked, **"Do you know what that's?"**

He contemplated for a moment, before he spoke hesitantly, **"That's . . . a shard of Lord Voldemort's soul."**

" **Damned hellfire burned mother fucker!"**

" **Mother Nature's loose cunt raped asunder by Behemoth!"**

Skullstaff and Ripclaw cursed loudly just after they understood what our protagonist had stated. Watching the goblin reaction, he knew they hated, no, despised what Tom had done to himself. However, he was curious of the reason, and he decided to voiced his curiosity, **"Can you tell me why you seem . . . disliked with it?"**

Skullface and Ripclaw turned at our protagonist sharply and shudder crawled on his spin.

 **「** **Bloodlust detected!** **」**

 **「** **Bloodlust detected!** **」**

 **「** **Your Instinct skill mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

 **「** **Your Instinct skill mastery is increased by 1pt** **」**

He dismissed the notices and stared at the two glaring goblin warily. Surprisingly, Ripclaw was the one who answered his question, **"We, goblins, are a military based race, young wizardling, we don't fear death, we embraced death around us and we are the friend of death. To use, immortality is most vilest thing because death couldn't grant us the most glorious end for warrior — a honorable death in the most glorious battle! There's also how immortal** _ **wizard**_ **has been a pain in the ass for long times, thank you very much."**

Our protagonist didn't know what he should react at that. However, he was intrigued by how Ripclaw uttered a word 'wizard' as though it was the vilest curse came out from his mouth. In the end, he decided to be happy with goblin's reaction. From the look of it, goblins wouldn't bow down to Tom and became his butt-lickers.

" **Well, I think, I'm glad we are on the same side then,"** said our protagonist after a moment in silence. **"I don't want to make an enemy out of your kind, to be honest. It's going to troublesome if I become your enemy."**

Ripclaw smirked widely, showing off his sharp teeth. **"Well, you're interesting wizard yourself. You're different from your kind and it's shame if we must kill you soon,"** he said.

" **Wizardling, what do you want with the soul shard in you?"** said Skullstaff. **"To be honest, I cannot get rid that vile thing from your scar, for now. I haven't prepared enough for something big at this scale. That doesn't mean Gringotts can help you with releasing that foul thing, but the price is very high of course."**

Tilting his head to the side, our protagonist was curious. He never thought goblin had a way to help him. There was no mention in the novel about something like this. Well, he'd read some fan-made stories with goblins releasing the piece of Tom's soul from Harry's scar, but he didn't think it'd be real. **"Er. . ."** he started after contemplating in silence. **"How much it is?"**

" **G500,000,"** said both Ripclaw and Skullstaff.

He swallowed his saliva loudly when he heard the price. G500,000 was equivalent of £2,500,000, and it was twice of Potter family's fortune. Shaking his head, he decided to hold on Gringotts over.

" **I think, I'll pass,"** he said dryly. Too dryly for his own comfort.

" **Are you sure? I know you don't have enough fortune to pay this service, but Gringotts can loan you,"** offered Ripclaw while he smirked widely. Now, the old goblin wasn't different with shark. It was scary!

" **No. Thank you,"** he replied curtly.

" **Well, there's nothing wrong with offering a loan,"** stated Ripclaw casually.

Our protagonist slowly rose from the floor and donned his oversized secondhand clothes before he turned to Skullstaff and asked the real reason of the ritual he had done. **"The tracking charm or something like that, do you find it on me?"** he prompted.

Skullstaff shook his head and answered, **"Nothing. You don't have something like that in you. Besides the foul thing lodged in your scar, you're clean."**

Our protagonist bowed to Skullstaff in gratitude, which was waved by the said goblin. **"May your vault overflows with richness young wizardling,"** said Skullstaff before he left for which our protagonist replied in kind, **"May your enemy fall under you, Skullstaff."**

Skullstaff stopped and turned back to him, confusing our protagonist by the . . . amused and aggravated expression on its face. **"Your greeting was wrong. It's 'may your patient healed from all ailment',"** corrected Skullstaff.

Our protagonist looked like a deer in highlight, feeling embarrassed because the mistake. Before he could correct himself, Skullstaff had left and the archway closed with grinding sound. Afterwards, he stood on his spot awkwardly until the amused Ripclaw signaled him to come out.

Leaving the closed room, Kreacher immediately jumped in front of him. Surprisingly, the old elf had worried expression, which looked odd on his face. "Mudblood Young Master! Are you okay? Nothing happened, right? Tell Kreacher if you're okay?" Kreacher bombarded our protagonist with rapid questions in English.

Our protagonist couldn't help but feel touched. Even though Gamer's Mind dulled his positive feelings slightly, he still felt touched by Kreacher's worry.

"Thank you for worrying me Kreacher," he said as he walked, following Ripclaw.

"Krecher worries for Mudblood Young Master because Mudblood Young Master can finish Master Regulus's last wish! If something bad happens to Mudblood Young Master, Master Regulus's will won't be fulfilled. Kreacher cannot let it happen," explained the old elf seriously.

Listening to Kreacher's words, he almost tripped over his steps. The dull sentiment he felt for Kreacher was snuffed out at instant, as though a weak candle amidst blizzard. He glared at Kreacher resentfully, but the old elf just stared back unflinchingly at him. _Senile old elf_ , he grumbled silently.

" **Here. The wizard working for Gringotts whom will help you with your other needs is inside,"** informed Ripclaw as they stopped in front of nondescript door. That being said, almost all doors in the corridor they were in were same.

Ripclaw opened the door and with the goblins signal, he and Kreacher stepped into the room. Inside was plain grey room with lack of lighting. He could see a round table with 10" diameters and simple wooden chairs circling around the table. Sitting on one chair was middle-aged wizard with stereotypical outfit of wizards and witches — robe and pointy hat. The older wizard had blue eyes and black hair. He looked youthful.

"This is William Bumpings, a muggleborn who works for Gringotts after he graduated from Hogwarts at 1972," explained Ripclaw. Then Ripclaw swapped into gobbledygook and spoke to him softly, **"He is quite powerful and has O for charm in OWL and NEWT. He doesn't know who you are because you requested for Gringotts to keep this service secret from masses."**

He nodded in understanding and waited behind Ripclaw. William Bumpings stood up from his chair and walked to him, "So you're my client, aren't you too young to ask something such as Fidelius?" said William Bumpings in condensation. He checked our protagonist up and down.

Our protagonist didn't dignify William Bumpings with an answer because they likely wouldn't meet again after this transaction finished. He was silent as Mr. Bumpings waited for his answer. After a while passed, the silence became awkward.

" **Where is our destination?"** asked Ripclaw. The goblin held a pebble in his hand.

" **Number 12 Grimmauld Place, London,"** replied our protagonist softly. From the corner of his eyes, he saw William Bumpings' eyes opened wide in surprise after he spoke in gobbledygook.

" **Number 12 Grimmauld Place, London — that is,"** confirmed Ripclaw and he nodded silently. Then Ripclaw continued what he was doing, creating a portkey out of the pebble. At least, it wasn't random trash such as old boot or tin can that picked from trash bin.

"Touch the pebble and we will portkey to the place, your house-elf can go to that place without this portkey help," said Ripclaw briskly in English. Kreacher nodded and returned to Black's Manor with house-elf's magic while the wizards and one goblins teleported to Number 12 Grimmauld Place with portkey.

An uncomfortable bumpy ride later, they appeared in front of Number 12 Grimmauld Place, just step away from the nasty wards that protected the manor. The sky was dark compared the bright light when he went to Gringotts. It was already night and moon hung on the dark, gloomy sky. Our protagonist's eyes landed on the gothic themed building and felt chill crawling on his spine. The place gave him bad feeling, but he held it.

"What a nasty place," William Bumping sniffed disdainfully as he checked around.

The grimy fronts of the surrounding houses were not welcoming; some of them had broken windows, glimmering dully in the light from the streetlamps, paint was peeling from many of the doors, and heaps of rubbish lay outside several sets of front steps. A pungent smell of rotting rubbish came from the pile of bulging bin-bags just inside the broken gate.

"Well," said Ripclaw to William Bumping, "quickly do your job."

"Yes, yes, of course. Just keep your unicorns," grumbled William Bumpings as he pulled out his wands out of holster on his wrist.

Staring the wand, our protagonist's interest was piqued and he activated his Observation mentally, _Observe!_

 **「** **A Wand** **」**

He rolled his eyes as he found out only the name of the object. His Observation skill mastery was too low to give him more information that wasn't obvious.

His attention returned to William as the Gringotts' worker started the Fidelius ritual, waving the wand in complex motion as if he was guiding a grand illusionary orchestra that only seen by him. The arcane energy oozed from Gringotts' worker in quantity he never felt before. It amazed him by how potent and much the arcane magic needed to cast a Fidelius charm. The Number 12 lit up with silvery light out of sudden, making him worry muggle would find about this unusual phenomenon.

He turned his head left and right, checking out the area, and then he breathed out in relief when he found no muggle around. He turned back to Gringotts' worker as he heard a soft chanting. He wasn't sure what kind of language it was because anything was understandable for him because of his Multilingual skill.

" _ **Disappear from sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell, and memory.**_

 _ **Go and disappear behind the gate of mystery.**_

 _ **Left the key to the faithful men only, so mote it be!"**_

He watched in amazement as the light around the house intensified before the light concentrated into small light that floated to the tip of William's wand. Then the wand was pointed to him out the blue, surprising him slightly. His Gamer's Mind had dulled the effect of his surprise to controllable level, if not he would have jumped up like a scared squirrel.

"Shall you accept the _**key**_ as _**the**_ _**faithful men**_ who locked away what is hidden under _**the gate of mystery**_ until you are released from your responsibility?"

He blinked dazedly before his Gamer's Mind kicked up and he hurriedly replied, "Yes." He could feel mysterious arcane power entered his body and

"So mote it be,"

The silvery light entered his chest and he felt it became dormant. He wondered if that how Fidelius charm was casted, and he felt underwhelmed by the anticlimactic end. The beginning was awe-inspiring because the intensity of the esoteric energy needed to cast the spell, the bright light around Number 12 Grimmauld Place was also something worthy to be awed of.

"Kreacher cannot find Mistress' house! Oh! What Kreacher will do? He cannot sense Mistress' house anymore!" Kreacher wailed out of sudden, surprising him, the tired William and Ripclaw. They turned to the wailing elf.

Our protagonist decided to grab the hysteric elf's shoulders and shared the key — the secret — to open mysterious veil that hid the Black's Manor. When Kreacher could feel and see Number 12 Grimmauld Place once again, he quickly calmed down.

He turned to Ripclaw and offered his a handshake, which was accepted by the goblin without second thought — a show that he was better than other bigot and arrogant wizard. **"Thank you for your assistance and for Gringotts' service, Ripclaw,"** he said as he did handshake with the old yet still dangerous goblin. "May your enemy fall by your weapon."

Ripclaw smirked widely, showing off rows of shark-like sharp teeth, and replied in kind, **"May your vault overflows with fortune, wizardling."**

Then he turned to William Bumpings and offered a handshake, which was surprisingly taken by the older wizard. "Thank you for your service, Sir," he said in pleasantry.

"No — no, don't worry little one, it is my honor to be in service for you," replied William Bumpings in kind.

After that, Ripclaw and William Bumpings disappeared from the street, leaving him and Kreacher alone. He stared at the haunting manor silently while he had many things in his mind. "Kreacher?" He called the silent house elf whom waited patiently. "Is there a dangerous ward that can endanger my life in this house?"

Kreacher had a thoughtful look in his face as he scratched his baldhead. "There is bloody ward that will wake up other wards keeping Mistress's Manor safe. If Mudblood Young Master enters the house, something nasty will happen to you, Mudblood Sir."

Our protagonist deadpanned at the elf. He wanted to be angry to Kreacher because the elf hadn't told him sooner about that. What would happen if he walked inside hurriedly and triggered the blood ward? He would be in grave injury at the best and died at the worst. Was that meant he'd wasted his family's money for nothing?

"Kreacher," he called Kreacher, surprisingly his voice cold like frozen rigid tundra. The old elf turned to him and flinched when the elf saw his glowing green eyes, but the elf also looked excited for unknown twisted reason. "Tell me there is a way for me to enter this place without putting myself in harm or mortal perils."

"There is a way. Kreacher knows how to help Mudblood Young Master goes inside without harming Mudblood Young Master."

"Tell. Me. Now!"

Kreacher flinched before his small body shuddered in delight. The old elf looked oddly happy and satisfied when he spoke to him with threatening undertones, which likely would end with violence and body harms. Understanding dawned upon him and he stared at Kreacher disturbingly. It seemed the brutal treatment to house-elf could become the reason behind manifestation of masochism. Of course, something like that rarely happened and the chance was so slim. Generally, the victims of long-term abuse would become a shell of his or her former self, a broken being. Then again, house-elf was a broken — distorted — creature.

He didn't know how he would — could — deal with this because he was previously only normal person without experience in BDSM. Forget and Move on. He decided to ignore Kreacher's disturbing side he just found out, much to his misfortune.

"Kreacher could deactivate the bloody ward around the house," said Kreacher, snapping him out of his reverie, "—or take Mudblood Young Master inside with House-elf magic. That will not harm Mudblood Young Master. The ward is only in the outside of Mistress's house."

He weighed his option carefully. What should he choose? Deactivating the ward or keeping it active? Well, the answer was simple. He didn't take the easiest way, what he needed the most was the choice that could keep him safe from other. Now, the Black family member left outside Azkaban were only Narcissa Malfoy née Black and her self-centered son — Draco Malfoy. He had faith to the Fidelius charm casted around the house and he was the secret keeper. There was no way Narcissa and Draco could remember this place after Fidelius casted on it, and by snowball's chance in hell Narcissa found out Black's Manor whereabouts even under Fidelius . . . well, he would deal with it later.

His eyes flickered to the corner of his vision and he found out it was already late. Counting gold in his family's vault had taken the most of his time in Gringotts. He felt tired and decided to think about other stuff later.

"Kreacher, bring me inside and prepare a room for me to sleep. I am tired after what has happened today," he said.

Kreacher bobbed his big head ups and down rapidly and repeatedly. Then the elf offered his hand. Our protagonist accepted and clasped his own hand onto Kreacher's. With a soft pop, he and Kreacher transported into the inside of Black's Manor.

It would be years in the future, when he would come out from the Gothic-themed manor.

 **『** **To be Continued** **』**

 _ **Main Character Status as of the end of this chapter:**_

 **Name:** Harry Potter (?)

 **Age:** 7 years, 7 months

 **Job:** the Gamer

 **Class:** Untrained-Wizard

 **Health:** 75/75 (Regen: 0.75/Min)

 **Mana:** 805/805 (Regen: 8.05/Min)

 **Strength:** 6.5

 **Speed:** 9

 **Vitality:** 7.5

 **Magic:** 80.5 (62.5*+18)

 **Charisma:** 12 (5*+7)

 **Luck:** ?

 **Money:** £0.5

 _ **Skill Set:**_

 _ **Gamer's Mind**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Allows you to think things calmly and logically even under pressure — a peaceful state of mind. Immunity to psychological status effects and possession. This skill also gives you Eidetic Memory. This skill will dull your emotions slightly as price.

 _ **Gamer's Body**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Grants a body that allows you to live the real world like a game, numbs some pains from injury you sustained, and gives ability to regenerate missing body parts when your health fully regenerated.

 _ **Multilingual**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Innate ability to speak and understand any languages, even though you have never learned it beforehand. Unfortunately, the effect doesn't bleed into your reading or writing skill. You need to learn how to write and read a language you don't know.

 _ **Magic Control**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: 180/1000**

With enough intent, focus and willpower you can control your magic to create miracle or unusual phenomenon. This skill is seven-tiered skill and it has higher version of it. After all, the truth of magic is mystery.

Passive Effect: Magic stat +1 with each 10 accumulated Mastery points.

 _ **Meditation**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 261/1000**

To know and control oneself body and mind. Meditation has been used for centuries to center oneself and for relaxation, now you have started on the same path as though before you.

Active Effect: Mana Regeneration x2

 _ **Housekeeping**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 736/1000**

The management of duties and chores involved in the running of a household, such as cleaning, cooking, home maintenance, shopping, laundry and bill pay. You don't need a housekeeper as you're the one yourself.

Passive Effect: Charisma stat +1 with each 100 accumulated Mastery points.

 _ **Parseltongue**_ **(Special) — Mastery: MAX**

The language of serpents (as well as other magical serpent-based creatures, like the Runespoor and Basilisk) and those who can converse with them.

Passive Effect: Power and potency of spell is multiplied by 2 if casted with Parseltongue

 _ **Accidental Magic**_ **(Special) — Mastery: MAX**

As a magical child you are prone to using magic accidentally when feeling angry, scared, or confused, as a form of self-defense. You have no control over this magic.

Cost: Varying

Active Effect: Varying

 _ **Magic Sense**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 5/1000 (Up 2pts!)**

You can feel magic around you when you are focusing at it. This skill is seven-tiered skill and at the first tier, you can only sense magic in 3.2" radius around you and cannot see the intent of the magic.

Cost: 10 Mana/Min

 _ **Instinct**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: 3/1000 (Up 2pts!)**

The sixth sense that told you something your other sense cannot find sense. This skill is seven-tiered skill. At first tier, you can feel the danger in 3.2" radius around you. Raise your skill tier to expand the distance.

 _ **Observation**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 8/1000 (Up 7pts!)**

Observe something to gain more information the object. This skill's effect is separated into four lesser stages. Each 250 points accumulated, you can gain more information from the object you observed. To active the skill, say/think 'Observe' while you stare at the object.

Cost: 5 Mana


	5. A Wand & An Owl

**『** **Author's Note** **』**

 _Well, I can't help but think how fast this story is progressing. I posted this revised edition at May 21 and now we are at chapter 5. I hope the progress will flow unimpeded in the future too._

 _In this chapter, Hedwig will appear. I have special plan for the owl later, and you must wait patiently for it to unravel._

 _Now, let's start the story~_

 **『** **Disclaimer** **』**

 **Harry Potter and the franchise belonged to J.K. Rowling and WB studios. The author only stole some elements from the story, and he hopes you won't tell the Harry Potter's publisher team because he is afraid of being sued.**

 **Thank you . . .**

 **『** **Extra Note** **』**

"Game of Truth Seeker," speaking normally.

 _Game of Truth Seeker_ , mulling/thinking in mind.

 **「** **Game of Truth Seeker** **」** Game's notice.

" **Game of Truth Seeker,"** speaking in gobbledygook.

 **『** **Chapter 05: A wand and An Owl** **』**

Walking silently in the dark hall, our protagonist tried his best to be unnoticeable. More than three years he'd lived in this foreboding and gloomy place, cutting himself any contact with outside world and jumping head on into study of magic with zeal that put zealots and crusaders in shame. Yet, he could feel how unwelcome the place was, as though he was in dangerous unfamiliar place, but he preserved.

Three tiring and arduous long years had passed. He'd grown up from once he was before. He wasn't a skinny malnourished child anymore, but a healthy boy to be young adult with confidence and self-respect. His physical transformation affected his Vitality statistic and he found out his low Vitality statistic was because his malnourished state.

The crazy old elf had treated him with care, surprisingly enough, but he didn't delude himself that Kreacher did everything because the elf cared for him. Oh, no, he was aware why Kreacher had treated him with care. He was the only one who could finish what the elf's beloved master — one Regulus Black — had started. For Kreacher, Harry Potter was indispensable wizard, and thus, the elf took care of him as though he was the elf's own master.

Meanwhile, his magical growth was quite . . . surprising. For three years and four months, he had used four hours each day to exercise his Magic control. His magic control had leveled up to third-tier, but he found out the higher the tier, the harder to train it. When his magic control was still at first tier, he only need an hour of exercise to gain 1pt. When his Magic Control reached second tier, the times needed was multiplied — he needed two hours to gain 1pt. When his skill evolved to third-tier, four hours exercise each day could only give him a point.

Nevertheless, he'd ascended from Untrained-Wizard to Apprentice-Wizard. However, to ascend to Adept/Dark Wizard, it was still long way to go.

Shaking his head, our protagonist cleared the useless thoughts from his mind. He traded into the familiar massive library where he mostly spent his time in past year. The Black's Library was dangerous yet interesting place. He could say that with confidence because the place had helped him a lot in his growth.

He walked closer to the black leather couch, sitting alone in the nondescript corner with small round table next to it. Above the table, thick books, heavy tomes and stacks of parchments were laying in chaotic harmony. As he arrived at the couch, he sat his ass down on the comfortable seat. He turned to the table and took single heavy tome. The tome was written in old Germany and he'd invested many times to learn how to write and read that language.

Speaking and listening? He had no problem. His Multilingual skill could cover it. However, writing and reading? He needed to learn before could do it. Thankfully, his eidetic memory helped a lot.

Opening the book, he smelled the ancient smell of the book. One of Black's Library charm was how many interesting and ancient texts were preserved carefully here. This place was a treasure trove for bibliophile.

 _There isn't dark or light in magic_ , he mentally quoted one phrase from a book he'd read in this place. The phrase was sounded like Tom's motto — funny enough. _Only intent that shapes the magic makes magic malignant or benign_ , he added shortly after with his own understanding of magic.

From his intensive study, he'd found magic always comes back to intent, focus and willpower. Those three words were the most important foundation to cast magic. However, magic itself was something against nature. It was the natural enemy of law of nature. Through his extensive research in which his eidetic memory and the treasure trove of bibliophile called Black's Library became indispensable assistant and tool, he found out the stronger a wizard or witch, the odder they became. There was a reason behind it. To make magic works, one needs to believe the impossibility and the unusual phenomenon against nature will — can — happen, and because the magic itself is the enemy of natural law, one needs to have distorted mind to go against what non-magical folks believed as a norm. Thus why magical folks looked like a group of barmy men and women with screws loose in their head.

Eyes focusing on the page of the heavy tome, he read the content of the tome silently, patiently and diligently. The tome was about runic language, a language that held mystery and concept in it. It was the language of magic. Each symbol had many meanings. Chaining few symbols would create a runic formula that would become the foundation of mystical effect.

There were many runic languages, such as ancient Egyptian, Elder Futhark, Ancient Chinese, Hebrew, Ancient Greek, Anglo-Saxon, Old Italics, Ancient Nordic, etc. However, what he'd learned and mastered — in past years — were Elder Futhark and Greek.

Our protagonist understood well he couldn't start training the wand-waving aspect of witchcraft and wizardry, but that doesn't mean he couldn't start the other aspects with the rough control over magic he had. There were still Arithmancy, Runes and Potion branch of Witchcraft and Wizardry he could learn without a wand. Learn them, he did.

A soft popping sound stopped what he was doing. He turned to sound origin and saw the ol' Kreacher standing not far from his couch. The old elf hadn't changed at all, well, except he looked healthier that he was when they met for first time.

"Mudblood Young Master, Kreacher has taken your letter from Hogwarts," reported the old elf while the elf offered a heavy brown leather to him.

With a crisp snapping sound, he closed the tome dramatically. He had a fair share of flair when he induced himself in his newly found drama queen antics. He found it was oddly refreshing.

He accepted the letter and found no sender address and the receiver only written with his name: Mr. H. Potter, incomprehensible scrawling under his name. Then he turned to the old elf and spoke, "May you share how the reaction of Headmaster and deputy headmistress of Hogwarts when they see the Book of Name cannot find my whereabouts?"

"They're confused," said Kreacher before he paused for a while, contemplating how he should convey what happened next. After a moment, he continued, "Hogwarts Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress were also desperate. The want to find where Mudblood Young Master is, but it's impossible, impossible! Mistress's house is hidden from everyone." He shook his head pitying the two professors of Hogwarts.

Our protagonist had a thoughtful look on his face. He tapped the corner of heavy letter on his chin softly, giving him smart-alecky look. Then he turned to Kreacher and spoke, "I do appreciate your assistance, Kreacher. Could you help me deliver my letter after I finished penning the answer?"

"Of course, of course," said Kreacher as he nodded his head. "Just call Kreacher after Mudblood Young Master have finished."

The old elf snapped his wiry fingers and disappeared in a soft popping sound.

After he was alone once again, he tore open the letter slowly. Then he fished out thick parchments in it and read the content:

 **HOGWARTS SCHOOL** _ **of**_ **WITCHCRAFT** _ **and**_ **WIZARDRY**

 **Headmaster:** **Albus Dumbledore**

 **(** _ **Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards**_ **)**

 **Dear Mr. Potter,**

 **We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**

 **Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.**

 **Yours sincerely,**

 **Minerva McGonagall,**

 _ **Deputy Headmistress**_

Flipping the first parchment, he found out the enclosed list written on different parchment and read it silently.

 **HOGWARTS SCHOOL** _ **of**_ **WITCHCRAFT** _ **and**_ **WIZARDRY**

 **uniform**

 **First-year students will require:**

 **1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)**

 **2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for daywear**

 **3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)**

 **4\. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)**

 **Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry nametags**

 **Course books**

 **All students should have a copy of each of the following:**

 _ **The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)**_ **by Miranda Goshawk**

 _ **A History of Magic**_ **by Bathilda Bagshot**

 _ **Magical Theory**_ **by Adalbert Waffling**

 _ **A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration**_ **by Emeric Switch**

 _ **One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi**_ **by Phyllida Spore**

 _ **Magical Drafts and Potions**_ **by Arsenius Jigger**

 _ **Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them**_ **by Newt Scamander**

 _ **The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection**_ **by Quentin Trimble**

 **Other equipment**

 **1 wand**

 **1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)**

 **1 set glass or crystal phials**

 **1 telescope**

 **1 set brass scales**

 **Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad**

 **PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**

He placed the parchment on the free space on the table and took a clean parchment from the stacks on the table. Then he took the feather quill and dipped it in an ink wheel. He thought over what he would write as a reply. He wasn't sure how he should write the answer. He played with the quill carefully, tickling his lower lips with the soft feathery tip of the quill.

After contemplating for a while, he nodded his head and began writing the answer.

 **Dear Madam Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts,**

 **First, I thank you for your notice.**

 **It is my honor to attend the school, where my late parents attended for their education.**

 **Do not worry about the books and equipment. I can buy it alone.**

 **We will meet at the new term at September 1.**

 **With respect,**

 **Harry J. Potter**

Checking the short and to the point letter, he felt satisfied with the answer. He knew he didn't have experience for writing a letter because he rarely needed it in his previous life. Letter was almost obsolete when technology ran rampart in the world. There was almost no gap in distance in era of globalization and technology. It was unfortunate he needed to go back to old way in this world. He folded the paper and put it inside the envelope.

He scratched some books and equipment in the list because he'd decided to use Regulus's old book. All Regulus's books had annotation and side notes that could help him. Then he called Kreacher.

The old elf appeared with House-elf trademark teleportation and he turned to the elf. "Kreacher," he said, "I need your help to put this letter in Hogwarts Deputy Headmistress's office without being caught. However, before that, I need you to bring me to Gringotts." He paused as he remembered something. "Can you take hair color changing potion from my — Regulus's room?"

"Kreacher can do," the elf nodded quickly and flicked his finger.

A glass vial with Runes engraved on it appeared on the table. He couldn't enchant the vial to be unbreakable with Unbreakable charm so long as he didn't have his wand yet. However, he'd found alternative.

Runes

It was wonderful branch of magic he'd come to favor. He didn't need wand to make miracle, only engraving kits he could buy in Diagon Alley — with G10 and few Knuts, at the lowest quality, while the good quality could be bought with G35 — and his blood as reagent to activate the runes. He could prick his finger with needle and squeezed a drop of blood to activate a runic formula he'd learned or created.

A wand isn't the only focus in the world. Wizard and Witches of old time used staves and other trinkets as focus. Meanwhile, the blood itself was the better focus to use magic because Wizard and Witch's blood holds the arcane power in it.

Uncorking the stopper, he opened the vial and drank the liquid in it. He held back the instinctive reaction after he tasted the foul tasted potion. Then he turned to Kreacher and spoke, "Could you take a mirror?"

Kreacher nodded obediently and with another snap of fingers, a full body mirror appeared in front of him, while the ol' Kreacher supported the mirror from behind. Our protagonist stared at the mirror and watched his reflection — a handsome boy with pale skin from lack of outing and seemed unhealthy, dark red hair and pair of emerald green eyes behind square-rimmed glasses. He nodded to himself, satisfied by the change. However, it wasn't enough. The thunderbolt shaped scar could be seen on his forehead.

 _Now, we cannot have it, can we? Just think what will happen when magical folks find their personal Boy-Who-Lived-to-be-Their-Personal-Whipping-Boy — the chaos._ He shook his head, disgruntled by the needless image his imagination had conjured. "Kreacher," he called the annoying yet helpful elf, "Can you take the skin color band aid from my room?"

A soft snap sound came from the back of the mirror and the said item appeared on the table. Our protagonist immediately applied the Band-Aid, covering the oblivious clue that would give his identity out.

After checking his disguise for the last time, he decided it was enough. "You can put back the mirror on its previous place. We need to go to Gringotts and you will put the latter just as I have told you before," he said calmly.

The mirror disappeared and Kreacher took the letter he offered. Afterwards, they used house-elf special apparition to go to Gringotts.

Arriving in front of majestic white building, our protagonist nodded to Kreacher, signaling the elf to do his next task. After Kreacher disappeared, he stepped into stone stairway and entered the Gringotts' opulent hall. His green eyes surveyed the crowded place. Almost all queues were long. He decided to join on queue and wait for his turn.

" **May your enemy fall under you, Goblin,"** he greeted the Teller in fluent Gobbledygook, surprising the teller.

" **May your vault overflows with golds, Wizard,"** the goblin greeted back. Then the goblin decided to be direct, **"What is your business with Gringotts?"**

" **I need to take money from my family's vault,"** he paused and fished out his key from his pocket, which was actually only a misdirection because he kept his key in Inventory, **"Here the key,"** he pushed the key to the goblin and said goblin accepted.

The teller flipped the sign from 'OPEN' to 'CLOSE' and signaled him to follow. They walked into small corridor until they arrived in a cavern-like room with small rail. After experiencing the familiar hurling through rocky passage twice and counting a golds coin inside his family's vault, our protagonist finished his business with Gringotts. He'd taken G500 from his vault, and now, he was stepping down on the stone staircase of Gringotts' building. As the sole of his slippers touched the ground, he called the old elf.

"Kreacher, have you put the letter in which I have told you?" asked our protagonist after Kreacher appeared with soft popping sound. The elf nodded his head excitedly, and then our protagonist continued, "Can you help me buy the unscratched books and equipment in this list? And, remember to ask Slytherin package when you buy potion supply, if something like that doesn't exist, buy three times of the required supply, do you understand?"

Kreacher nodded obediently. Then he passed the leather pouch to Kreacher after he took out G50 first. Afterwards, he walked to Ollivanders for his wand.

The shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 b.c. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as he stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair. He felt strangely as though he had entered Black's Library for the first time; he swallowed a lot of new questions that had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. He almost jumped, but he controlled his body at the last moment.

An old man was standing before him, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. He couldn't sense the man at all.

"Mr. Ollivander, I presume?" said our protagonist evenly.

"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. When he wanted to ask how Ollivander knew, the old wand-maker continued unimpededly, "You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work." Mr. Ollivander moved closer to him. "Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it — it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and our protagonist were almost nose-to-nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.

"And that's where . . ." Mr. Ollivander peeled the Band-Aid covering the lightning scar on his forehead with a long, white finger. "I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly.

"Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands . . . well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do. . . ." He shook his head.

"Well, now — Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er — well, I'm ambidextrous," said our protagonist.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured our protagonist from shoulders to fingers, then wrists to elbows, shoulders to floors, knees to armpits and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand."

Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. "That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."

Our protagonist took the wand and saw a notice popped up in front of his face.

 **「** **Alert!** **」**

 **「** **Magic Synchronization is 21%**

 **Your magic and the focus need to synchronize at least above 75% to be your magical focus.**

 **Please try another focus!** **」**

He was unsure what to do and stared at Mr. Ollivander. When he saw the old man was staring at him expectantly, he decided to wave it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —"

He tried — but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander. The notice didn't even pop up to warn him!

"No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, and try it out."

He tried. And tried. He had an idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting for. However, he slowly lost his patience. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the shelves, the happier he seemed to become.

"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere — I wonder, now — yes, why not — unusual combination — holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

 _Here that is . . . the brother of Tommy's wand_ , he thought grimly as he took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers and a notice popped up in front of him.

 **「** **Alert!** **」**

 **「** **Magic Synchronization is 77%**

 **This wand can become your magical focus.**

 **Do you accept this wand as your magical focus?** **」**

 **「** **YES — NO** **」**

He chose 'YES' mentally and raised the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.

He used Observation at the wand"

 **「** **Harry Potter's Wand**

 **Made of holly and phoenix feather, 11'. This wand is the other pair of rare brother wands.**

 **Effect: 68% (Base: 30% + Synchronization Bonus: 38%) Decreases Mana Consumption** **」**

Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well . . . how curious . . . how very curious . . ."

He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper, still muttering, "Curious . . . curious . . ."

"Sorry," said our protagonist while he rolled his eyes mentally, "but _what's_ curious?"

Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare. "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather — just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother — why, its brother gave you that scar."

Our protagonist stared at Ollivander evenly.

"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard — remember. . . .I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter. . . . After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."

"Is that so?" he asked rhetorically and hurriedly continued as he saw Ollivander opened his mouth to answer, "Do you have wand holster and wand polishing kit?"

"Of course, Mr. Potter. Of course. From the look of it, I believe you will treat your wand with extreme care," said Mr. Ollivander as he went to somewhere. The man looked happy when he requested his order.

A moment later, Mr. Ollivander came back with wand holster made of leather and small box. As he walked towards our protagonist, he spoke, "I'm happy to see a young wizard is interested to take care of their wand. It rarely happens. Even adults sometimes forget to take care their wand, ignoring their wand condition so long as their wand is usable — what a pity."

"Then, they're idiots, sir," he couldn't help but blurt out.

Mr. Ollivander turned to him sharply and his pearly silver eyes glimmered with interest. "May you tell me why?" He probed.

Shrugging his shoulders casually, he decided to share his theory with Mr. Ollivander. "Wizards and Witches have magic, true, but compared with other magical creature, Wizards and Witches cannot guide their magical energy instinctively just as magical creature. They lack something other magical creature has — it is the close connection with magic. Because they don't have this esoteric connection with magic, they need focus: wands, staves and other kind of foci. Foci are very important for casting a spell because it helps Wizards and Witches to focus their magic. Hence, they're called Focus. Wizards and Witches supposedly should've taken care of their vital tool for focusing their magic, because without it, they are a hazard for everything around them, at least until they can control their arcane power," he turned to Mr. Ollivander and saw the impressed look on the wand maker eyes. He couldn't help but grin cheekily at Mr. Ollivander, "Am I correct, sir?"

Mr. Ollivander clapped his hands giddily, as though he was a child whom saw his favorite TV-show. "Wonderful, Mr. Potter. I cannot say any better," he exclaimed. He looked pensive all of sudden and spoke softly, "Actually, Mr. Potter, can you tell me what you think about magic?"

Rubbing his chin in thoughtful manner, our protagonist thought over how he should word the answer. "Well," he started, "magic is mysterious, colorless, and void. There is no dark or light in magic, only intent behind the magic makes magic benign or malignant. Such as simple floating spell. It can be used for benign purpose, helping old people moving their heavy belongings is one of examples, but it can be used for malicious purpose too, such as make person float before we drop the person into cliff."

"Marvelous, truly marvelous," Mr. Ollivander nodded his head, impressed. "I believe you will become great person in the future Mr. Potter. I cannot wait to see that day to come."

Our protagonist just shrugged his shoulders carelessly and then he bid the farewell after he parted with G10 for what he'd purchased in the old wand-maker's shop. He left the Ollivanders soon after and decided to check Eeylops Owl Emporium. He heard the mixed screeches of different type owl, as he entered the shop, but his eyes zeroed to silent and haughty Snowy Owl in the far corner. He walked towards the lone owl and stared at it in wonderment.

 **「** **Unnamed Snowy Owl**

 **A magical variant of Snowy Owl. This owl is incredibly smart and can have complex thoughts. This owl can be bonded as familiar for Wizards and Witches.**

 **Gender: Female**

 **Health: 50/50**

 **Mana: 10/10**

 **Strength: 3**

 **Speed: 10**

 **Vitality: 5**

 **Magic: 1** **」**

He blinked as he read the owl thorough description. He'd maxed his Observation skill mastery last year and now he could get thoroughly detailed information about something or someone. He stared at the owl and the owl stared back at him. Its look saying, 'why are you looking at me like dimwitted peon? Take me if you want, but scram if you don't want to take me'.

The corners of his lips tugged upwards. He was sure this snowy owl is soon to be Hedwig. Well, Harry Potter needs his iconic Snowy Owl, isn't he?

"Sir," he called the clerk.

"What do you need, lad?" The clerk asked.

"How much is this owl?" He asked back calmly.

Both owl and the clerk stared at him in confusion and apprehension, the former because it never thought a young wizard will buy it — her — while the clerk because he feared what will happen to him.

"How much?" He probed with hint of irritation in his tone.

"Are you sure you want to buy this trouble maker, lad? We have other Snowy Owl you can check. I'm not sure if this ruddy bird is worth," explained the clerk.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw the owl glared a dagger at the clerk, as though its female's vanity has been brutally wounded. Knowing how special this owl was, he was stubborn with his decision.

"Don't worry, I have feelings we will become awesome partner, ain't that right beautiful?"

The owl surprisingly preened under his flattering and hooted in satisfaction as stupid peon finally can see her infinity charm. The clerk looked surprised when he saw how the bird acted. A calculating glint flashed in his blue eyes.

"You can get this bird and the cage with G75," said the clerk while he smirked like a shark, or a goblin.

He stared at the clerk coldly. He knew how much the price of owl from his memory. Since his Gamer's Mind bestowed eidetic memory upon him, he could recall his memory from his previous life clearly. Normal barn owl was around £100 or around G20. For Snowy owl, £150, or 30 in galleons, was quite expensive. The simple but wide enough cage for an owl itself was only around £30 to £60, or 6 to 12 in galleons.

 _So you are trying to con me huh?_ He thought in amusement. Then he cleared his throat and spoke nonchalantly, "I'm curious what will happen if DMLE finds out about adult wizard conning an underage? Do you know what will happen sir?"

The clerk was confused for a moment before he understood the underlying threat in our protagonist's nonchalant and innocent sounding question.

As he saw the intended effect, he pressed on ruthlessly, "Moreover, what will happen if said underage is actually a scion of wealthy and noble house?"

The clerk began stuttering like an idiot, he was. Inside the cage, the owl watched the drama with amused glint in its amber eyes.

"Well, young Sir, suddenly I feel very generous. You can buy the owl and the cage with G37," the clerk said.

He nodded and gave his remaining money — G40 — to the clerk and said, "The rest is for owl treat."

"Of course, Sir. Let me take your other order," said the clerk as he hurriedly left to take the owl's treat.

He exchanged a look with the owl in the cage. Both had exasperated look on their face. A moment later, he left the Eeylops Owl Emporium with the newly named owl — Hedwig. He walked to nondescript corner and called Kreacher.

"Have you finished the shopping?" He asked after Kreacher appeared in front of him. Hedwig had screeched in shock when the elf appeared out of nowhere and currently the haughty owl was glaring spitefully at Kreacher.

"Kreacher has finished shopping just like how Mudblood Young Master told Kreacher," the elf nodded his head quickly.

"Well, where is the spare?"

"Kreacher has put it together with Mudblood Young Master's things in Great Master Regulus's room."

Accepting Kreacher's answer, our protagonist offered his hand to the elf. "Let's go back. Our business here is finished," he said to the elf. Said elf took his hand and they disappeared from Diagon Alley, and ultimately missed when white haired old man in garish robe appeared in Diagon Alley to find him.

 **『** **To be Continued** **』**

 _ **Main Character Status as of the end of this chapter:**_

 **Name:** Harry Potter (?)

 **Age:** 10 years, 11 months

 **Job:** the Gamer

 **Class:** Apprentice-Wizard

 **Health:** 505/505 (Regen: 5.05/Min)

 **Mana:** 3360/3360 (Regen: 33.6/Min)

 **Strength:** 11.5

 **Speed:** 12

 **Vitality:** 50.5

 **Magic:** 336 (102*+234)

 **Charisma:** 20 (10*+10)

 **Luck:** ?

 **Money:** £0.5 —

 _ **Skill Set:**_

 _ **Gamer's Mind**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Allows you to think things calmly and logically even under pressure — a peaceful state of mind. Immunity to psychological status effects and possession. This skill also gives you Eidetic Memory. This skill will dull your emotions slightly as price.

 _ **Gamer's Body**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Grants a body that allows you to live the real world like a game, numbs some pains from injury you sustained, and gives ability to regenerate missing body parts when your health fully regenerated.

 _ **Multilingual**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Innate ability to speak and understand any languages, even though you have never learned it beforehand. Unfortunately, the effect doesn't bleed into your reading or writing skill. You need to learn how to write and read a language you don't know.

 _ **Magic Control**_ _ **III**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: 345/1000**

With enough intent, focus and willpower you can control your magic to create miracle or unusual phenomenon. This skill is seven-tiered skill and it has higher version of it. After all, the truth of magic is mystery.

Passive Effect:

Magic +200

Magic stat +1 with each 10 accumulated Mastery points.

 _ **Meditation**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 261/1000**

To know and control oneself body and mind. Meditation has been used for centuries to center oneself and for relaxation, now you have started on the same path as though before you.

Active Effect: Mana Regeneration x2

 _ **Housekeeping**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: MAX**

The management of duties and chores involved in the running of a household, such as cleaning, cooking, home maintenance, shopping, laundry and bill pay. You don't need a housekeeper, as you're the one yourself.

Passive Effect: Charisma stat +1 with each 100 accumulated Mastery points.

 _ **Parseltongue**_ **(Special) — Mastery: MAX**

The language of serpents (as well as other magical serpent-based creatures, like the Runespoor and Basilisk) and those who can converse with them.

Passive Effect: Power and potency of spell is multiplied by 2 if casted with Parseltongue

 _ **Accidental Magic**_ **(Special) — Mastery: MAX**

As a magical child you are prone to using magic accidentally when feeling angry, scared, or confused, as a form of self-defense. You have no control over this magic.

Cost: Varying

Active Effect: Varying

 _ **Magic Sense**_ _ **III**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: 721/1000**

You can feel magic around you when you are focusing at it. This skill is seven-tiered skill and at the third tier, you can only sense magic in 328' 1" radius around you and you can see the benign or malicious intent of the magic.

Cost: 40 Mana/Min

 _ **Instinct II**_ **(Passive-type) — Mastery: 712/1000**

The sixth sense that told you something your other sense cannot find sense. This skill is seven-tiered skill. At second tier, you can feel the danger in 32' 8" radius around you. Raise your skill tier to expand the distance.

 _ **Observation**_ **(Active-type) — Mastery: MAX**

Observe something to gain more information the object. This skill's effect is separated into four lesser stages. Each 250 points accumulated, you can gain more information from the object you observed. To active the skill, say/think 'Observe' while you stare at the object.

Cost: 40 Mana

 _ **Runes Comprehension**_ **(Active/Passive-type)**

Your ability to comprehend mysterious ancient letters and symbols that hold certain concept to create a miracle or unusual phenomenon.

 _Elder Futhark_ — Mastery: MAX

 _Greek_ — Mastery: MAX

 _ **Air Scripting**_ **(Active-Type) — Mastery: MAX**

Write something in empty air using your magic.

Cost:

50 Mana/Normal Word

500 Mana/Magical Word/Rune

 **Potioneering III (Active/Passive-type) — Mastery: 431/1000**

The art brewing magical mixtures commonly brewed in cauldrons and used to create a number of effects on the drinkers. This skill is seven-tiered skill and at third-tier, you can begin to brew potion, which is taught in third year curriculum in magical school.

Effect:

First-tier: 100%/100%/75% success in brewing first grade potion brewed from excellent/good/poor ingredients

Second-tier: 100%/100%/75% success in brewing second grade potion brewed from excellent/good/poor ingredients

First-tier: 71.5%( _50_ %+21.5%)/71.5%( _50%_ 21.5%)/46.5%( _25%_ +21.5%) success in brewing third grade potion brewed from excellent/good/poor ingredients

 **Arithmancy (Active/Passive-type) — Mastery 285/1000**

A magical discipline that studies the magical properties of numbers, including predicting the future or creating spell with number and numerology.

Effect: 64.25% (50% Base + 14.25% mastery bonus) successful usage of Arithmancy


End file.
